Every year people demand more from nature than nature can regenerate. We see the effects of this in the loss of wildlife habitat, collapsing fisheries, and climate change – all things that impact our economies and quality of life. To create a sustainable future, Global Footprint Network is changing how the world manages its natural resources. We develop metrics to track the available resources and how those resources are used, empowering leaders in government and finance to make confident policy and investment decisions backed by facts. Together, we are creating a future where people, planet, and economies thrive.

The heart of our work is the Ecological Footprint.  The Footprint measures human demand on nature, expressed as a single, easy-to-understand number that’s scalable from a global to individual level.  Footprint accounts work like bank statements, documenting whether we are living within our ecological budget or consuming nature’s resources faster than the planet can renew them.

On the supply side of the Footprint, biocapacity represents the planet’s biologically productive land areas including our forests, pastures, cropland and fisheries. These areas, especially if left unharvested, can also absorb much of the waste we generate, especially our carbon emissions.

Ecological Footprint and biocapacity are measured in units of land area supplying the resources we use and absorbing the wastes we generate.  We divide land use into the following categories: cropland for the provision of plant-based food and fiber products; grazing land and cropland for animal products; fishing grounds (marine and inland) for fish products; forests for timber and other forest products; uptake land for the absorption of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity; and built-up areas for shelter and other infrastructure.

Today, most countries, and the world as a whole, are running ecological deficits.  In fact, as of 2016, it would take 1.6 Earths to support humanity’s demand on nature.  But armed with Ecological Footprint data, we can take the necessary steps to allow everyone to live well, and within the means of one Earth.  Learn more about this global imperative in a Tedx talk by Mathis Wackernagel, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Footprint Network.

Our programs make a difference with leaders and communities around the world:

• Nations: We provide insights into the total resources countries have, and how they’re being used, to inform policies that improve national sustainability and well-being. For example, in this recent publication, we analyzed the Ecological Footprint of countries in the Mediterranean region to help governments identify paths to sustainability.

• Local governments: Our tools inform policies to improve local sustainability and guide decisions that reduce risk to communities while optimizing public project investments. Learn more about our work on the Footprint for Cities, which includes case studies for San Francisco and Calgary.

• Finance: Our environmental risk analysis provides data to support investment decisions, credit ratings, and country risk assessments.

• Citizens: We inspire and mobilize individuals through our education and advocacy campaigns, including our annual Earth Overshoot Day, and personal Footprint calculators.

Together, we can secure a future where all people live well, within the means of one planet.  Join us by taking action in your own life.  Make a pledge below and spread the word.  Let’s #EndOvershoot!

* Your pledge will be counted in Earth Day Network’s “A Billion Acts of Green” campaign.  Learn more about thiscampaign.