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WWF Ecological Footprint Equation:
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The WWF Ecological Footprint measures human demand on nature, comparing human consumption of natural resources with Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate them. It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area needed to regenerate the resources a human population consumes.
The calculator uses the WWF ecological footprint equation:
Where UK Consumption Categories include:
Explanation: The equation sums up all consumption categories to calculate the total ecological footprint in global hectares (gha).
Details: Calculating ecological footprint helps understand individual and national environmental impact, guides sustainable policy decisions, and raises awareness about resource consumption patterns.
Tips: Enter values for each consumption category in global hectares (gha). All values must be non-negative numbers representing your consumption in each category.
Q1: What is a global hectare (gha)?
A: A global hectare is a standardized unit that represents the average productivity of all biologically productive areas on Earth in a given year.
Q2: What is a sustainable ecological footprint?
A: A sustainable footprint is one that doesn't exceed the Earth's biocapacity, which is approximately 1.7 gha per person globally.
Q3: How does the UK's footprint compare to other countries?
A: The UK has one of the larger ecological footprints among European countries, typically requiring about 3-4 times its own biological capacity.
Q4: What are the main contributors to the UK's ecological footprint?
A: The largest contributors are typically carbon emissions (from energy use and transport), food consumption, and housing.
Q5: How can I reduce my ecological footprint?
A: Key strategies include reducing energy consumption, choosing sustainable transport options, eating less meat and more local produce, and reducing waste.