- According to the Global Footprint Network, a sustainability organization which calculates the Earth Overshoot day, as of July 29 humanity has officially used up more ecological resources this year than the Earth can regenerate by the end of the year. So this year July 29 is Earth Overshoot Day.
- It means humanity is overspending allotted natural capital, compromising resources in the future as a result and leading to things like deforestation and carbon dioxide buildup in the atmosphere.
- The report says that the date has moved up two months over the past 20 years, and July 29 marks the earliest the date has ever landed. “We have only got one Earth — this is the ultimately defining context for human existence. We can’t use 1.75 without destructive consequences,” said Mathis Wackernagel, founder of Global Footprint Network, in a statement.
- Last year, Earth Overshoot Day fell on Aug. 1. In 2017, it was Aug. 2. In 1971, the date was Dec. 21. Having the date occur on July 29 means that in order to sustain human activity in its current form, 1.75 Earths are needed.
- As per the organisation calculation, if everyone in the world lived like those in the U.S., humans would need five Earths to meet their demands.
