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 One way to measure our impact on the planet is an ecological footprint. This is an estimate of the land needed to provide the food, energy and natural resources we use. To support the world's six billion people sustainably (ie: using natural resources no faster than they regenerate) each person's ecological footprint must be 1.8 hectares or less.
Despite rises in China and India, 20 per cent of the world's population, mainly in the developed world, still consume 80 per cent of its natural resources. For instance, the average Australian's ecological footprint is 6.6 hectares, compared to a world average of 2.2 hectares. (WWF Living Planet Report 2006) If everyone else lived like Australians, we'd need 3.5 Earths to support us. a growing footprint
Australia and global warmingAustralia, with 0.32 per cent of the world's population, produces 1.43 per cent of global CO2 emissions. We have the world's highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions at 27 tonnes each - just ahead of the US and more than twice as much as the UK, Japan or Germany. Since 1980, emissions in Australia have risen twice as fast as in the US and five times faster than in Europe (CSIRO).Australia's green "world ranking"
© Mark Mann / EcoDirectory |