Ireland In Ecological Footprint Top 10

Ireland has one of the world's highest ecological footprints per person, according to a report from the World Wildlife Federation.

The Living Planet Report (LPR), published today, documents the changing state of biodiversity, ecosystems and humanity’s consumption of natural resources around the world.

It found that the top ten countries with the highest ecological footprint where (in no particular order) United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Denmark, Belgium, United States of America, Estonia, Canada, Australia, Kuwait and Ireland.

The report said: "Not everybody has an equal footprint and there are enormous differences between countries, particularly those at different economic levels and levels of development."

The Ecological Footprint tracks the area of biologically productive land and water required to provide the renewable resources people use, and includes the space needed for infrastructure and vegetation to absorb waste carbon dioxide.

It shows an alarming and consistent trend: one of continuous growth. In 2007, the most recent year for which data is available, the Footprint exceeded the Earth’s biocapacity — the area available to produce renewable resources and absorb CO2 — by 50%.

Overall, the report found, humanity’s Ecological Footprint has doubled since 1966.

Ireland currently ranks 31 for carbon dioxide emissions per capita, and 21 in the world by emissions – higher than Belgium, the Netherlands and Russia.

Among some of the other startling findings, the report revealed that humanities ecological footprint exceeded the earth’s capacity by 50% – meaning it takes one and a half years for the Earth to produce the resources humanity consumes in a single year.

"Humanity used the equivalent of 1.5 planets in 2007 to support its activities.

If everyone in the world lived like an average resident of the United States or the United Arab Emirates, then a biocapacity equivalent to more than 4.5 Earths would be required to keep up with humanity’s consumption and CO2 emissions."

Yesterday, Green Party Leader and Environment Minister John Gormley along with the Minister for Climate Change Ciarán Cuffe, welcomed a second report on the need for climate change law in Ireland from Oireachtas Joint Committee.

Minister Cuffe said: "The Bill includes some good elements which we will take into consideration in the finalisation of our own Climate Change Bill."

He added that the purpose of the forthcoming Climate Change Bill was to transition Ireland to a low-carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable society and economy in the most cost-effective and equitable manner and to achieve our binding EU and international commitments.

(DW/GK)