As fires rip through the West Coast and multiple hurricanes threaten the East Coast, we once again have reached a pivotal moment in the year. August 22 was what is called “Earth Overshoot day” (EOD). Put simply, we currently are using the resources that should be being used up by 1.7 earth’s.
Comparison of when World Overshoot day would be depending on various countries. Screenshot taken from overshootday.org
This date marks the date when humans have exhausted nature’s budget for the year. For the rest of the year, there is a sobering reality; every resource we consume is being taken from the future.
Over the past 50 years, Earth Overshoot day has come progressively earlier each year. In 2019 EOD was July 29, the earliest it has ever been.
While the earth was on track to speed that up in 2020, a pandemic delayed things. Due to COVID-19 this year’s date came a month later than 2019.
The date is based on statistics. Changes in emissions, forest harvest, food demand, and other factors that impact the global ecological footprint are evaluated to determine the date of EOD.
Though the pandemic pushed the date back, more sustainable changes need to be made by the world’s governments and populations, or Earth Overshoot day will continue to come sooner and sooner each year.
To learn more about Earth Overshoot day, click here.
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