It is this Thursday, July 28, the day of the overshoot. As of today, we have already consumed all the resources that the planet can regenerate in one year, according to calculations by the NGO Global Footprint Network and relayed by WWF. Each year, it is the same observation: this date, witness of our ecological footprint, arrives earlier and earlier.
We overproduce, we overconsume and our lifestyles come at a cost to the planet which cannot regenerate fast enough. This Thursday, July 28, we begin to start the reserves of the Earth, ” this natural capital necessary to sustain life “, in the words of WWF who is worried: in 20 years, this date has advanced by 2 months.
But how will future generations live if we continue to catch the fish before they have time to reproduce sufficiently? To cut down more trees than new ones grow in the forests? To emit more CO2 than plants and oceans can absorb?
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Farming singled out
The NGO therefore calls for a change in our behavior. By halving global food waste, for example, the overshoot date would move back 13 days, according to WWF. Halving our meat consumption would also save the planet 17 days of respite.
Agriculture is indeed responsible for a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, and livestock in particular is singled out.