Happy Earth Overshoot Day?

A total of 41 world nations have ‘celebrated’ World Overshoot Day. It’s the day the demand of the country’s citizens is said to exceed globally available materials our planet can renew in one year.  

Iran’s ‘overshoot day’ was pinpointed at 27 June. The global ‘anniversary’ is set for 28 July. Today. The dates are calculated by California-based sustainability think tank Global Footprint Network. It’s global materials demand map is available here.

The organisation reports that the materials deadline ran out on 22 August in 2020, over a month later than usual. This was mostly due to lockdowns imposed because of the pandemic. In 2021 it was on 31 July and this year it equals the earliest recorded, in 2018.

Mathis Wackernagel, president of Global Footprint Network, says the trend is not very encouraging. He urges humans use 75% more biological resources than Earth can regenerate – as much as if we lived on 1.75 planets.

Industry experts and advocacy groups insist more efforts must be taken to advance recycling, sustainable design and renewable energy while fighting overconsumption and littering. Momentum is building, yielding the social media hashtag #movethedate.