Earth Overshoot Day

What is Earth Overshoot Day?

It is the date that marks when humanity has used all the biological resources that the Earth can generate within a year.

When is Earth Overshoot day 2024?

In 2024, Earth Overshoot day is July 25th

To determine this day, the Global Footprint Network calculates how many days within the year the Earth’s biocapacity suffices to provide for humanity’s ecological footprint. The Global Footprint Network measures the population in relation to their demand for the ecosystem’s supply of resources. They use the Ecological Footprint (the demand side) and biocapacity (the supply side) to measure our need for Earth’s resources. The Ecological Footprint measures the demand for plant-based foods, livestock, fish products, timber, etc. In contrast, biocapacity represents the biologically productive land and sea area. The land and sea can include forest lands, grazing lands, fishing grounds, and cropland. 

In just over a half year, we have used all our natural resources that the Earth can regenerate within a year. Within 51 years, Earth’s Overshoot Day has moved from late December (1971) to July (2022). Since 2003 Overshoot Day has been happening earlier and earlier in the year. Today we use enough resources in a year, equal to 1.75 Earths.

We encourage you to join The Footprint Network’s Move The Date campaign. To learn more about the topic, Visit the website linked here: https://www.overshootday.org/about-earth-overshoot-day/