Can Italy Succeed
in the New Era of Biocapacity Constraints?
Dr. Mathis Wackernagel
April 8, 2011 – Agende 21 Locali Italiane
Biocapacity Creditors and Biocapacity Debtors
Biocapacity Creditors and Biocapacity Debtors
Biocapacity Creditors and Biocapacity Debtors
Global Footprint
--------------------------- = 1.5
Global Biocapacity
Accounting Framework for
Ecological Services
Biocapacity:
How much
bioproductive area
is available to us?
Ecological Footprint:
How much bioproductive
area do we demand?
The Ecological Footprint
CARBON footprint
Biocapacity
per person
Ecological Footprint
The Basic Equation
Amount per year
Yield = ------------------------Area
The Basic Equation
Amount per year
Area = ------------------------Yield
Translate area from ha into global ha…
Components of the Footprint
Cropland
Forest
Grazing
Land
Carbon
Footprint
Fishing
Grounds
Built Area
Humanity’s Ecological Footprint (1961 onwards)
Most of the carbon debate
communicates about “global
Tragedy of the commons“
Is this a useful perspective?
EITHER: ~ 2°C
X
450 ppm?
350 ppm?
Tragedy of the Commons? Y
but…
OR: 1700 ppm
Italy
Ecological Footprint
Biocapacity
per person
Italy’s relative GDP per
capita (compared to
World)
Italy’s Ecological Deficit
Ecological Footprint
per person
Deficit
Biocapacity per person
3.00
ITALY
gha per capita
2.50
2.00
Food
Housing
Mobility
Goods
Services
Government
GFC
Other
2007
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
Cropland
Grazing Land Forest Land
Fishing
Grounds
Carbon
Built-up Land
Uptake Land
Ecological Creditors and Ecological Debtors in Europe
Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity PER CAPITA,1961-2005
DE
BY
AT
BE
ES
SK
FR
FI
GR
NL
HU
IT
IR
PO
PT
CZ
UK
RO
RU
RS
CH
SE
UA
DK
Ecological Creditors and Ecological Debtors in Africa
Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity PER CAPITA,1961-2005
Alge.
CM
AO
BF
CI
EG
ET
GH
KE
MG
MW
ML
MA
MZ
NE
NG
TZ
UG
ZA
ZM
SD
ZW
CG
RW
Preparing for resource
constraints is in overwhelming
self-interest of cities and
countries. (much more so than for
individuals or companies…)
mathis@footprintnetwork.org
Uganda
Biocapacity
per person
Iran
Ecological
Footprint
Biocapacity
per person
Ecological
Footprint
Ecological
Footprint
Switzerland
The Ecological Footprint and
biocapacity (per capita) of three
countries from 1961-2005. A country
runs
an
Biocapacity per
person
ecological deficit
if its Footprint exceeds what its
ecosystems can renew. The deficit is
made up through net-imports, net-carbon
emissions to the global atmosphere, or
local resource degradation.
Ecological Creditors and Ecological Debtors in MENA
Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity PER CAPITA,1961-2006
Houston,
you
have a
problem..
offical national gov Footprint studies
we’re working on national govs
WBCSD
UNDP
EP and EC
UNEP Green Econ.
SEEA (?)
(2011)
Summary
• The planet has limits. Do you know
how much biocapacity you have?
and how much you use?
• Blindness costs lives & opportunities.
• Economic stability and competitiveness
depends on managing eco-deficits
mathis@footprintnetwork.org