29
Jul
July 29th 2019: EARTH OVERSHOOT DAY
Jul 29, 2019
Today 29 July 2019 is the day when the Earth has exhausted its resources for 2019.
Also this year we have further anticipated the Overshoot Day, or the day when we run out of resources that our Planet puts at our disposal.
The signal is disheartening, because it means that we are not succeeding in reversing the course and that every year we consume more than the earth is able to produce.
The signal is disheartening, because it means that we are not succeeding in reversing the course and that every year we consume more than the earth is able to produce.
The data is reported by the Global footprint network, an international association for sustainability that deals with environmental accounting by calculating the ecological footprint to determine the Overshoot day, literally "the day of overcoming". Given the rate at which we have exhausted the renewable resources that the Earth is able to regenerate over 365 days, it is as if we were using the resources of 1.75 Earth planets.
The value is given by an average of world consumption, if we calculate only the impact of Italy, the ninth country with the greatest planetary impact, we would need a good 2.7 planets.
The consequences of the Overshoot day
The use of more resources than those that we really have available, will be paid above all by the new generations.
In fact, some of these could NOT BE REGENERATED, like fish stocks, while others, such as deforestation, contribute to climate change.
In fact, some of these could NOT BE REGENERATED, like fish stocks, while others, such as deforestation, contribute to climate change.
You can change course
However, we are still in time to reverse the course: moving the date of the Overshoot day by 5 days a year would allow humanity to reach the balance with the resources produced annually by the planet before 2050. The solutions are known and, moreover, , financially advantageous.
It is necessary to act in five key areas: cities, energy, food, population and planet.
It is necessary to act in five key areas: cities, energy, food, population and planet.
The most urgent action to be taken is the reduction of CO2 emissions: being able to reduce fossil fuel emissions by 50%, as reported by the Global footprint network in view of the Earth Overshoot day 2019, could postpone the Overshoot day of 93 days.
Do you want to know how much your lifestyle affects the consumption of the planet's resources?
Make the test on www.footprintcalculator.org