If every person on Earth consumed ecological resources at the same rate as the Spanish do, the planet’s regenerative capacity would be used up by May 12, two and a half months earlier than the global average. From that point onward, the resources allocated for 2023 would be consumed as if the entire world population lived like Spain. In short, more than two Earths would be needed to sustain such consumption, and there is only one Earth available.
Indeed, some nations use far more resources per person than Spain. Luxembourg, Canada, the United States, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, and South Korea are examples where per-capita consumption runs higher than in Spain.
By contrast, several countries show much lower per-person resource use, including Indonesia, Cuba, Egypt, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Turkey.
Historically, the countries with the smallest ecological footprints often experience the harshest consequences from the actions of the larger, higher-footprint nations.
July 28 marks a planetary eco-clearance day.
The world is finite and so are its resources. Yet human activity tends to treat the planet as inexhaustible and reserves as unlimited. The Global Footprint Network, an international research organization, has tracked for decades the point at which humanity’s demand for ecological resources exceeds what Earth can renew in a year. If this overshoot date had remained in the early seventies, near December, it now arrives much earlier. This year, it lands on July 28.
People consume ecological resources as if Earth offered a single, limitless supply. The use of natural resources, waste buildup, and greenhouse gas emissions far exceed the planet’s biological capacity to reproduce them.
The ecological footprint is the key metric that compares human demand with Earth’s regenerative capacity. It has grown steadily for decades, reflecting rising consumption and emissions.
Each year, the Global Footprint measures the number of days in which Earth’s biocapacity suffices to cover humanity’s ecological footprint. The remaining days of the year represent ecological deficits or surpluses.
The Ecological Open Day is calculated by dividing the planet’s biocapacity by humanity’s footprint and multiplying by 365.
But what exactly is the biocapacity of a city or a nation? It is the biologically productive land and sea area, including forests, pastures, farmland, fishing grounds, and settled land.
The ecological footprint reflects the demand for plant and animal foods, fiber, wood, urban space, and the forests needed to absorb carbon emissions from fossil fuels.
A region running an ecological deficit meets demand by importing ecological assets, depleting local resources, or releasing carbon. Globally, deficit and surplus balance out because the planet does not import resources in net terms.
Five decades ago, human consumption was close to Earth’s regenerative capacity. By 1987, this balance tipped, followed by earlier milestones in subsequent years. In recent times, the overshoot has appeared by July.
The World’s Ecological Open Day was set for July 29 last year. This year saw the date shift forward by a day, signaling that significant progress to curb resource destruction and pollution remains elusive.
If all humanity consumed resources at Spain’s rate, December would come sooner rather than later. In contrast, Qatar’s consumption, when distributed globally, would push the date forward to February 10.
Despite troubling trends, organizations like Global Footprint and WWF emphasize hope: lower and smarter consumption matters. They also remind us that governments and large companies hold the greatest potential to improve humanity’s ecological footprint at scale.
Spain exhausted its resources on 12 May
If every person on Earth lived as Spaniards do, the planet’s regenerative capacity would be exhausted on May 12, about two and a half months ahead of the world average. From that date, the resources for 2023 would be used as if the entire population lived like Spain; more than two Earths would be required to sustain yearly consumption, and there is only one Earth.
Some countries consume far more resources per person than Spain, including Luxembourg, Canada, the United States, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, and South Korea.
Other nations—Indonesia, Cuba, Egypt, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Turkey—use significantly less per capita.
As always, the nations with the smallest footprints bear the heaviest burden from the consequences caused by the larger footprint nations.