According to the report, the Earth has around 11.4 billion hectares of productive land and sea space, which works out at 1.9 hectares of land for each of the six billion people on the planet. But our consumption of natural resources - our "ecological footprint" - is 2.3 hectares per person.But that figure is a global average.
Broken down further, the report shows that people in the West are consuming resources at an unsustainable level. In 1999, the average western European consumed five hectares, and the average North American 9.6 hectares - whereas the average Asian and African consumed less than 1.4 hectares.
"It's very unlikely that the Earth will be able to run an overdraft of this magnitude for another 50 years without some severe ecological backlash undermining future population and economic growth," Jonathan Loh warned. But, he said, we "needn't head into the abyss. Negative trends can be reversed, if we make changes now."
What's to be done?
So what's to be done?
Broken down further, the report shows that people in the West are consuming resources at an unsustainable level. In 1999, the average western European consumed five hectares, and the average North American 9.6 hectares - whereas the average Asian and African consumed less than 1.4 hectares.
"It's very unlikely that the Earth will be able to run an overdraft of this magnitude for another 50 years without some severe ecological backlash undermining future population and economic growth," Jonathan Loh warned. But, he said, we "needn't head into the abyss. Negative trends can be reversed, if we make changes now."
What's to be done?
So what's to be done?