Offsets


The carbon footprint Water


Emissions Transport Recycling Electricity Fuel Personnel Gas


2.6 Ecological Footprint


An ecological footprint, also known as carbon footprint, refers to the amount of forest land, agricultural land, recreational space and resources needed by a person to live. In the developed world this accounts for several hectares per person, while in the developing world this is less than one hectare per person. Even within the developed world, this figure varies greatly.


Waste ( Fig. 2.27 Carbon footprint CASE STUDY F GEO DICTIONARY


Ecological footprint: the amount of forest, agricultural land, recreational space and resources needed by a person to live


Global hectares: one global hectare represents the average productivity of all biologically productive areas (measured in hectares) on Earth in a given year


Ireland


Ireland has been ranked as having the 10th largest ecological footprint in the world, with one of the worst records for excessive consumption of natural resources. On average, Ireland consumes over six global hectares per person – more than double the amount used in some European countries such as Romania, with countries such as Mali using 0.1 hectares per person.


If this is to continue, the planet’s habitats risk being completely destroyed as resources are used at an alarming rate to sustain the lifestyles of wealthy societies. In the period 1970 to 2007, biodiversity in the world declined by 30 per cent and by 60 per cent in the tropics.


5,000,000+


300,000–1,000,000 1,000,000–5,000,000


50,000–100,000 100,000–300,000


) Fig. 2.28 Tonnes of carbon released per country


60 ELECTIVE 5 PATTERNS AND PROCESSES IN THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT


5,000–20,000 20,000–50,000


1,000–5,000 0–1,000


A


Z


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