Mathis Wackernagel, PhD

Copenhagen Workshop - Solstice, 2007

AdvancingSustainable Production with

the Ecological Footprint

Yes, Footprint is becoming more popular…

an

…and it provides a measurement method to comparehuman demandagainst biosphere’s regenerative capacity

Footprint Benefits:

• You can explain the challenge: a complex, ecologically constrained world

• You can communicate benefits of sustainable manufacturing

• You can identify risks, new markets, and opportunities for sustainable manufacturing

“Brundtland

Report”

(1987)

1.8 global hectares per person

Produced for the Swiss Government (SDC, ARE, Statistics)

Bioproductive segments

18% Biologically Productive Land

11%Deserts, Ice Caps and Barren Land

67% Low-ProductivityOcean

4%BiologicallyProductive Ocean

Bioproduct i ve Seg ments

22%

How much “nature” is available?

With 6.3 billion people (2003)Current global average availability of bioproductive land + sea area

= 1.8 global hectares/person

Footprint components

Fossil Fuel Built-up Waste Food Fibresabsorption

What Does the Footprint Measure?

• Footprint: How much of the biosphere’s regenerative capacity is used by human activities?

• Biocapacity: How much of the biosphere is available within a region?

Human Demand (Ecological Footprint) Ecological Supply (Biocapacity)

Footprint Areas for: Biocapacity Areas:

Growing Crops 0.49 Crop land 0.53

Grazing Animals 0.14 Grazing land 0.27

Settlements & infrastructure 0.08 Built-up area 0.08

Producing timber & fuelwood 0.23 Forest 0.78

Absorbing excess CO2 1.14

Harvesting Fish 0.15 Fishing Grounds 0.14

Total Global Demand 2.2 Total Global Supply 1.8

Global Ecological Balance Sheet (in global hectares/person, 2003 data)

Demand

Exceeds

Supply

By

25%

>

Footprint for Waste Management

(INVESTMENT)

Recuperated Footprint from Waste

(RETURN)

potential

actual

Foot

prin

t (gh

a)Bigger Footprint for Solution Providers E.g.: Waste Management as Investment

Building Momentum:The Footprint of an Australian General Retailer

Looking into the Future

Context for the Future of Business:

UN’s most moderate scenario

How many % of World GDP need to be invested to turn the curve?

Is there enough natural capital to liquidate for a Moderate Business-as-Usual Path?

Billi

on 2

003

glob

al h

ecta

res

24

12

Which Investments Will Win?Maps Opportunities and Liabilities to

Lifespan of People, Assets and Infrastructure

Source: Pacala & Socalow (Science, 2005)

Where are the new markets?

Opportunities beyond Carbon Footprint:Sustainability Wedges

• Biomass Energy• Infrastructure• Reproductive Health• Female Economy• Agriculture and Food• Resource Efficiency • Waste Management

1.8 global hectares per person

Which Investments are Effective?∆ HDI / € and ∆ overshoot / €

Leapfrogging

Building Resilience

Example 1: REAP—Input-Output Based Footprint Analysis Tool

Average Footprint (and components) for each UK

Municipality

INVITATION!Check out the wallet card

Test-run the Footprint?

Newsletter?

www.footprintnetwork.org

mathis@footprintnetwork.org

“London First”: What is the potential for reduction? Which technologies would be needed?

• Total London Ecological Footprint = 50 million gha• Possible to reduce London’s Ecological Footprint by

between 20 & 25 million global average hectares (gha)

London Remade with WSP Environmental, Global Footprint Network