Earth overload day: humanity consumes “1.74 earths”

Today the world is reaching the so-called Earth Congestion Day. From now on, people will consume more resources than can be naturally renewed within a year.

As of today, mankind has used up the resources that would have been available for the entire year if they had been used sustainably. This is based on calculations by the Global Footprint Network based in the USA and Switzerland. Currently, humanity is consuming 74 percent more than the planet’s ecosystems can regenerate – or “1.74 earths”. Global resource consumption is estimated to be approaching the level before the start of the corona pandemic.

Corona provided only a short break

In 2020, the earth overload day was postponed by almost three weeks due to the lockdown, to August 22nd. “That was actually an effect of Corona,” said Rolf Buschmann from the Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND). Significantly fewer resources were used, especially in the first waves of the pandemic. “And that has a lot to do with the fact that we were in lockdown.”

Steffen Vogel from Germanwatch explains: “We are now experiencing the feared rebound effect, the sudden rise in emissions after the peak of the pandemic.” The fact that resource consumption has already reached the level of 2019 this year despite the continuation of the pandemic shows that a change in direction in climate and resource policy is more urgent than ever. 20 years ago the earth overload day was still in September.

National Earth Congestion Day even as early as May

According to the analysis of the Global Footprint Network, the national Earth Congestion Day was already reached at the beginning of May. “If all countries were to do business like Germany, we would not need one, but just three planets,” stressed Germanwatch spokesman Vogel. “Our way of life and economy is anything but sustainable.”

Minister Müller: “More and more” is a thing of the past

Development Minister Gerd Müller (CSU) warned of the ever faster consumption of natural resources on earth. “We need a decisive rethink when it comes to our consumption. More and more, always cheaper, is an obsolete model.” Sustainability must be the new global standard. “50 years ago we still had resources left at the end of the year. That must be our goal again,” said Müller. The EU must go ahead and set the framework for a global circular economy with its Green Deal.