Ecological footprint and biocapacity The view from London Jamie - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ecological footprint and biocapacity The view from London Jamie Bull jamie.bull.@oco-carbon.com

Outline • Definitions • Global balance • London • Ecological Footprint • Biocapacity • Balance • Borough-level comparisons • Conclusions

Ecological footprint The ecological footprint is a Human spending measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems . It is a 13.4 billion global hectares standardised measure of 2.2 global hectares per person demand for natural capital

Biocapacity Biocapacity is the amount of Nature’s interest resources available to people at a specific time and population . 11.3 billion global hectares It is a standardised measure of 1.8 global hectares per person the supply of natural capital

Global balance We’re drawing down our Nature’s interest natural capital at a rate of 0.4 gha per person per year . Human spending Sustaining this level of -2.1 billion global hectares consumption would require 1.2 -0.4 global hectares per person planets

United Kingdom’ ecological footprint 318.6 million global hectares 5.4 global hectares per person

London’s ecological footprint Consumer Items Food Private 46.2 million global hectares Services 5.47 global hectares per person Gov't Transport Housing

London’s biocapacity Total Biocapacity Land type biocapacity per capita (gha) (gha) Arable farmland 87,000 0.01200 Managed grassland 114,000 0.01600 Forestry and woodlands 15,000 0.00200 Urban* 983,000 0.13300 Semi-natural vegetation 10,000 0.00100 Inland water 100 0.00002 Sea 60 0.00001 * The biocapacity of urban land was included to illustrate 1.2 million global hectares potential bioproductivity 0.16 global hectares per person

London’s balance It would require 3.04 planets to support -45.0 million global hectares London’s levels of -5.31 global hectares per person consumption globally

Breakdown by London Borough

High correlation between EF and house prices Footprint per capita (2004) Median house price (2013)

High correlation between EF and median income Footprint per capita (2004) Gross annual pay (2013)

But low correlation between EF and satisfaction Footprint per capita (2004) Life satisfaction score (2012-13)

Conclusions • Ecological footprint is a way of expressing environmental sustainability in a meaningful way • London’s footprint is too high to be sustainable (though not significantly above the rest of the UK) • Ecological footprint is hugely influenced by affluence…

Conclusions • Ecological footprint is a way of expressing environmental sustainability in a meaningful way • London’s footprint is too high to be sustainable (though not significantly above the rest of the UK) • Ecological footprint is hugely influenced by affluence… but money doesn’t buy satisfaction