WWF-UK: Residents of UK cities ranked in eco-debt index
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Residents of UK cities ranked in eco-debt index
Thursday 10 April 2008
The residents of UK cities will plunge into ecological debt over the next month having exceeded their fair share of the Earth's natural resources for 2008, new research from WWF-UK shows.
The WWF-UK 'ecological debt' index has shown that Winchester residents are the first to over-exploit their ecological credit card on 10 April and residents of Plymouth and Newport will be the last, on 11 May.
Our current lifestyles in the UK are depleting the earth's natural resources quicker than it can replace them and driving rapid changes in the world including climate change, deforestation and the near extinction of many species.
If everyone consumed natural resources and generated carbon emissions at the rate we do in the UK we would need three planets to support us.
City challenge
"The battle for the environment will be won or lost in our cities. They have the highest potential for eco-living due to local facilities, public transport links, dense housing and shared public resources," said Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK.
"The solution lies, in part, to addressing the way we have carelessly consumed energy up to now. However, the challenge is not just about consumers though - government and business must also play their part if we are to live within the earth's natural resources and avoid the worst impacts on our environment," he added.
Ecological footprint
The data comes from a WWF-UK report, Ecological Footprint of British City Residents, which calculated the average ecological footprint of cities' residents.
An individual's ecological footprint relates to the land and sea area required to provide food, resources and energy, as well as absorb waste and pollution. The main factors affecting this are housing, food, consumer goods, public and private services and transport.
The WWF-UK footprint calculator not only assesses your impact on the planet but advises on how people can make choices that benefit their health and the environment, and take affordable, simple measures to reduce their energy consumption – making huge savings on their energy bills. The calculator also works out how many planets we'd need to support your lifestyle.
WWF recommends steps that individuals can take to reduce their footprint. These include: calculate your ecological footprint and devise a plan to reduce it, holiday closer to home and try to reduce energy use in your home and save money on bills in the process.
Our current lifestyles in the UK are depleting the earth's natural resources quicker than it can replace them and driving rapid changes in the world including climate change, deforestation and the near extinction of many species.
If everyone consumed natural resources and generated carbon emissions at the rate we do in the UK we would need three planets to support us.
City challenge
"The battle for the environment will be won or lost in our cities. They have the highest potential for eco-living due to local facilities, public transport links, dense housing and shared public resources," said Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK.
"The solution lies, in part, to addressing the way we have carelessly consumed energy up to now. However, the challenge is not just about consumers though - government and business must also play their part if we are to live within the earth's natural resources and avoid the worst impacts on our environment," he added.
Ecological footprint
The data comes from a WWF-UK report, Ecological Footprint of British City Residents, which calculated the average ecological footprint of cities' residents.
An individual's ecological footprint relates to the land and sea area required to provide food, resources and energy, as well as absorb waste and pollution. The main factors affecting this are housing, food, consumer goods, public and private services and transport.
The WWF-UK footprint calculator not only assesses your impact on the planet but advises on how people can make choices that benefit their health and the environment, and take affordable, simple measures to reduce their energy consumption – making huge savings on their energy bills. The calculator also works out how many planets we'd need to support your lifestyle.
WWF recommends steps that individuals can take to reduce their footprint. These include: calculate your ecological footprint and devise a plan to reduce it, holiday closer to home and try to reduce energy use in your home and save money on bills in the process.
"The battle for the environment will be won or lost in our cities."
Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns, WWF-UK
Related links
- Read the report Ecological debt day
- Measure your footprint
- Read more about Ecological debt day
- Top 10 ways to reduce your ecological footprint
- Cities' ecological debt days
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