Unit 4 (Biocapacity and Ecological Footprint)

List the 6 components of an ecological footprint.

- Built-up land. - Fishing ground. - Forest. - Grazing land. - Cropland. - Carbon footprint.

Give advantages of using ecological footprints as a measure.

- It is holistic. - Quantitative data means it is easy to compare.

Give disadvantages of using ecological footprints as a measure.

- It is theoretical and so data may not be reliable. - Social and economic sustainability are not included.

List factors that diminish biocapacity.

- Land degradation. - Finite resources being used at an unsustainable rate.

How do natural hazards affect a country's ecological footprint?

- Resources are needed to recover, increasing energy consumption. - Focus may move from the reduction of a country's ecological footprint.

Which countries tend to have the highest eco-debt?

Developed or industrialised countries- e.g. USA (one of the highest- 8 ha/capita), UK, China.

What is ecological footprint measured in?

Global hectares, which is the global average of a hectare's ability to produce resources and absorb waste.

Give a fact that suggests current global resource demands are unsustainable.

Globally, since 1970, the number of planets Earth's required to sustain our way of living has increased to above 1 and continues to increase.

How does rate of economic growth affect a country's ecological footprint?

High rate of economic growth can lead to increased use of fossil fuels (as country is likely to be developing), increasing ecological footprint.

How does development and a high level of energy consumption affect a country's ecological footprint?

Higher levels of development usually lead to higher levels of energy consumption as technologies and basic provisions all demand high energy inputs, increasing ecological footprint.

How does rapid population growth affect a country's ecological footprint?

Increased demands for resources such as fossil fuels, and for food which leads to intensive cattle farming, increasing carbon emissions and consequently increasing ecological footprint.

How do fuel costs affect a country's ecological footprint?

Increased fuel costs can cause a decrease in fuel consumption, reducing ecological footprint.

Which countries tend to have the highest eco-credit.

Large countries with a wealth of natural resources- e.g. Canada, Brazil, Australia.

Which areas tend to have higher ecological footprints and why?

MEDCs and areas rich in natural resources as their carbon footprint is greatly increased by burning of fossil fuels.

What is biocapacity?

The capacity of an area to provide resources. It measures productivity.

What is an ecological footprint?

The theoretical measurement of the amount of land and water a population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its waste under prevailing technology.

Describe the relationship between biocapacity and footprint in LEDCs such as Haiti and Niger.

They have low ecological footprints compared to MEDCs but they are still higher than their biocapacity.

When is development considered unsustainable?

When ecological footprint exceeds biocapacity.