WWF-UK: Eco debt days
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Cymru Siren
Eco debt days
Eco debt days
Welsh Cities have used up a years worth of resources in four months!
The residents of Welsh cities plunged into ecological debt in May this year having already exceeded their fair share of the Earth's natural resources for 2008, new research from WWF shows.
The WWF '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 were the last.
Despite again having the lowest ecological footprint in the UK, Newport had used up its entire fair share of the worlds resources by May 11th. For the rest of the year Newport and other cities in Wales such as Bangor, St Davids, Cardiff and Swansea will in affect be consuming the resources and ecological services of a country such as Somalia for example, which consumes 14 times less than the UK.
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 Wales 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 Morgan Parry, Head of WWF Cymru.
"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. WWF Cymru calls on individuals to make responsible environmental choices and for the newly elected authorities across Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government to be inspired to improve the goods and services they provide to promote a one planet lifestyle, in order to help their residents to live sustainably." 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 and shows that the average Welsh person requires three planets to sustain their lifestyles and this is the equivalent land area of six rugby pitches per person.
WWF Cymru is this summer launching a Welsh speaking ecological footprint calculator which will be available online.
The WWF Cymru 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 you'd need to support your lifestyle.
Despite again having the lowest ecological footprint in the UK, Newport had used up its entire fair share of the worlds resources by May 11th. For the rest of the year Newport and other cities in Wales such as Bangor, St Davids, Cardiff and Swansea will in affect be consuming the resources and ecological services of a country such as Somalia for example, which consumes 14 times less than the UK.
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 Wales 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 Morgan Parry, Head of WWF Cymru.
"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. WWF Cymru calls on individuals to make responsible environmental choices and for the newly elected authorities across Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government to be inspired to improve the goods and services they provide to promote a one planet lifestyle, in order to help their residents to live sustainably." 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 and shows that the average Welsh person requires three planets to sustain their lifestyles and this is the equivalent land area of six rugby pitches per person.
WWF Cymru is this summer launching a Welsh speaking ecological footprint calculator which will be available online.
The WWF Cymru 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 you'd need to support your lifestyle.
