Earth's 2019 Resource 'Budget' Used up by July 29 with 5 Months Still to Go

Every year, our planet Earth has a 'budget' of natural resources, such as water, soil, and clean air. This year, we humans have used up our entire allowance, and we still have five months left of the year. 

Earth Overshoot Day happens each year, which is the date by which we gauge our annual natural resource consumption. This year marks the earliest Earth Overshoot Day in over 20 years, according to the Global Footprint Network's studies. 

A very worrying piece of information. 

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Earth Overshoot Day 

"Earth Overshoot Day falling on July 29 means that humanity is currently using nature 1.75 times faster than our planet's ecosystems can regenerate. This is akin to 1.75 Earths," said the environmental group. 

Thank you @GretaThunberg for all you do to #MoveTheDate of Earth Overshoot Day. The carbon Footprint = 60% of the total Ecological Footprint. So yes, reducing emissions to mitigate climate change is a big step toward reaching one-planet compatibility (we currently use 1.75). https://t.co/n1pRLTeYfe

— Footprint Network (@EndOvershoot) July 29, 2019

How can we notice or gauge this change?

"The costs of this global ecological overspending are becoming increasingly evident in the form of deforestation, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, or the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The latter leads to climate change and more frequent extreme weather events," added the group. 

Earth Overshoot Day has been calculated since 1986, during which the month and the date alarmingly move closer and closer to the start of each new year.

What business leaders will join @SchneiderElec to #movethedate of Earth Overshoot Day through effective solutions? https://t.co/1tRCYdspA9

— Footprint Network (@EndOvershoot) July 29, 2019

In 1993, for example, the day fell on October 21, in 2003 it was on September 22, and in 2017 it was on August 2. This year, it's July 29.  

Only one planet

"We have only got one Earth - this is the ultimately defining context of human existence. We can't use 1.75 (earths) without destructive consequences," said Mathis Wackernagel, the founder of the Global Footprint Network. 

Here with a cute little movie #MoveTheDate #EarthOvershootDay @EndOvershoot https://t.co/Nb0SvbP2Ag

— Mathis Wackernagel (@MaWackernagel) July 29, 2019

Chile's environment minister, and chair of the climate COP25, Maria Carolina Schmidt Zaldivar, said: "The importance of decisive action is becoming more and more evident."

Something we should all bear in mind. We can each calculate our own ecological footprint by using the Ecological Footprint's Network website.