Mapping global ecological footprint

A recently published Living Planet 2010 report by WWF shows that the Earth's population is using the equivalent of 1.5 planets' worth of natural resources and that biodiversity has fallen nearly 60% in low-income countries in less than 40 years. The report also states that carbon now accounts for over half the global ecological footprint. This somewhat depressing information should encourage us to find solutions and tools to halt the biodiversity loss and diminish our carbon footprint.

Luckily there are some good news, too. In non-tropical parts of the world, there’s actually been an increase in species numbers, by around 30% on average. This is due to greater conservation efforts and pollution control.

In this Ecological Footprint Index below you are able to search footprints by country.


The global average of the ecological footprint is three hectares, meaning the area required to provide the resources consumed by the population or average person in a year. The consumption of natural resources in the rich countries is on average five times higher than in the poorest countries.

More information: WWF Living Planet Report 2010

Who's your World Environment Day hero?

Tomorrow, on June 5th, we are celebrating World Environment Day (WED) 2010. WED has been organized by UNEP since 1972 and is aimed to be the biggest, most widely celebrated, global day for positive, environmental action. As part of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, this year’s event will celebrate the incredible diversity of life on Earth under the theme Many Species. One Planet. One Future.

Last year, the topic of World Environment Day was climate change and the highlight of the celebrations was to launch the Climate Heroes. This year the Climate Heroes initiative has been broadened beyond just climate change-related advocates to include exceptional individuals advocating solutions for all environmental issues.

WED Heroes are individuals who inspire and motivate people to environmental actions by undertaking exceptional personal feats, high-profile expeditions, and other acts of environmental activism to demonstrate their commitment to the planet.

In the end, the WED heroes is a call for each of us to do what we can: from adopting the simplest habits like turning off running water when we are brushing our teeth, to organizing a public or workplace event for World Environment Day or even rowing across the Pacific Ocean, like a WED Hero Roz Savage did in 2009, and later walked 600 miles from London to Copenhagen for the UN climate conference.

See the World Wide WED here and find activities near you.

Pictures: UNEP