Ecological Footprint

Ecological Footprint Evaluation: Weaknesses

- Gives no clear indication of what the main source of the effect - Doesn't present any policy solution to the problems Anthropocentric: Focusing only on human needs and only calculates the parts of the earth that are directly useful to humans when it looks at Biocapacity - 36 billion hectors of land and outer reaches of the oceans are excluded, which can lead to the lands degradation and biodiversity loss - Assumes that all of biocapacity is exclusive for humans, not taking into account the need of other species on the planet - Cannot measure chemical pollution

Ecological Footprint Evaluation: Strengths

- Its universality and adaptability to many countries - Clear and easy to understand format - Easy to uses and calculate, accessible indicator for non-scientists to use - Allows governments and businesses to be easily aware and drastically reduce their E.F - Links scientific assessment of humans impact on nature with ethics and responsibilities

Ecological creditor nation (Brazil)

A country with a biocapacity higher than its ecological footprint, indicating that this country has more resources than it uses or requires

Ecological debtor nation (Turkey)

A country with a biocapacity lower than its ecological footprint, indicating that this country uses more resources than what the country can provide

Global Hecto (gha)

A measurement unit for quantifying both the ecological footprint of people or activities as well as the biocapacity of the earth or it's regions

Ecological Footprint per capita

A nation's total Ecological Footprint divided by the total population of the nation

Anti-Malthusian view of the relationship between population and resources

Believes that population increase is actually benefical to the earth and will increase human resources rather than decrease them. With population increase, there will be an increase in demand for food, but with technology improvements from the population increase, such as cultivating more land, selective breeding and more fertilizers, the food supply will match its demand and the population growth will continue unchecked

Neo-Malthusian view of the relationship between population and resources

Believes that the population grows exponentially, while food production grows arithmetically. With both the population and food production growing at different rates, the neo-malthusian view predicts that eventually the population will exceed the food supply, which cause in the decrease in population growth: Population increase = increase demand for food = less food per person = increased mortality and decreased fertility = decrease in population growth

Carbon Footprint

The amount of carbon dioxide or other compounds emitted into the atmosphere by the activities of an individual, company, or country

Biocapacity

The capacity of a given biologically productive area to generate an on-going supply of renewable resources and to absorb its spillover waste

Carrying Capacity

The maximum, equilibrium number of organisms of a particular species that can be supported indefinitely in a given environment

Ecological Deficit

When the Footprint of a population exceeds the biocapacity of the area available to that population

Ecological Reserve

When the biocapacity of a region exceeds its population's footprint