Thursday, 1.08.2024, 11:04
On August 1st, resource consumption exceeded the amount that the earth can renew in a year. If the entire world population lived like Austria, a year’s natural resources would already be used up by April 7th.
Vienna – From August 1st, humanity will consume more resources than the Earth can renew in a year. In other words: We live as if we had 1.7 Earths at our disposal. This is reported by the organization Germanwatch citing calculations by the Global Footprint Network based in the USA and Switzerland. The so-called Earth Overshoot Day is one day earlier than last year.
Flights as an essential factor
The earth’s overload includes the consumption of fish, arable land and wood, but also the earth’s ability to absorb waste and emissions. Airplanes are particularly harmful to the climate. In addition to CO2 emissions, they cause about three times the greenhouse effect as if the same amount of CO2 were produced on the ground, stresses Germanwatch.
The excessive hunger for resources not only leads to the destruction of our nature, we are also overexploiting the future of future generations.
Joschka Brangs, Biodiversity Spokesperson of WWF Austria
One reason for this is contrails. In contrast, rail transport offers a more sustainable alternative, as it is up to 28 times more climate-friendly than flights within Europe. A very small part of the world’s population is responsible for this major driver of the climate crisis through their flight behavior, explained Jacob Rohm of Germanwatch.
Criticism from WWF and Greenpeace
On the occasion of Earth Overshoot Day, the environmental organization WWF Austria called for a halt to the enormous consumption of resources and the restoration of destroyed nature. “The excessive hunger for resources is not only leading to the destruction of our nature, we are also overexploiting the future of future generations. We must finally treat our planet sustainably,” said Joschka Brangs, biodiversity spokesperson for WWF Austria.
The next federal government is called upon to introduce laws that protect our climate, as well as valuable water and our soil.
Jasmin Duregger, climate and energy expert at Greenpeace in Austria
“Governments around the world must finally stop exploiting the planet without considering the future. We must switch to sustainable, renewable and resource-saving strategies everywhere. Austria also has major tasks ahead of it: The next federal government is called upon to introduce laws that protect our climate, as well as valuable water and our soil,” said Jasmin Duregger, climate and energy expert at Greenpeace in Austria.
Austria destination far away
In the circular economy strategy adopted in 2022, the Federal Ministry of Climate Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs have set a target of seven tons of material footprint per person per year for 2050, Global 2000 wrote in a press release.
We’ll be living on credit for the next five months.
Hannah Keller, spokesperson for Global 2000
Austria is still a long way from this goal. In 2018, Austrian resource consumption was 167 million tonnes (Mt) per year, or 19 tonnes per capita per year. The consumption-based material footprint in 2017 was as high as 33 tonnes per capita per year. “For the next five months, we will be living on credit, with resources that future generations will then lack,” says Hannah Keller, press spokesperson for resources and supply chains.
Austria would need almost four Earths
In Austria, Overshoot Day was already on April 7, which means that we would need 3.7 Earths if everyone lived like we do, IG Windkraft Austria emphasized. However, renewable energies would make it possible to provide energy with minimal CO2 emissions and low use of resources.
Austria’s wind power production is already saving 4.5 million tons of CO2 annually. “Renewable energies can make a decisive contribution to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and postponing Earth Overshoot Day,” explained Josef Plank, chairman of IG Windkraft.
The good news is that the turning point seems to have been reached.
Christoph Bals, political director of Germanwatch
Meat has a big influence
According to Germanwatch, the high consumption of meat and other animal products also has a major impact on the consumption of natural resources. However, Germanwatch has some positive news: “For decades, the earth’s overload has increased almost every year, but for almost ten years now it has been hovering at a high level,” says Political Director Christoph Bals. “The good news is that the turning point seems to have been reached.”
