Question

The Ecological Debt Day (Earth shoot day) is calculated as follows:

• A. (World Biocapacity / World Water footprint) x 365
• B. (World Biocapacity / World Carbon footprint) x 365
• C. (World Biocapacity / World Ecological footprint) x 365
• D. (World Biocapacity / World Ecosystem Services) x 365

Hint:

To remember the formula, think of it as a simple ratio of (what the Earth can supply / what humanity demands). The result is a fraction of the year, which is then converted to a specific day by multiplying by 365.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Earth Overshoot Day (formerly known as Ecological Debt Day) marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
The calculation is designed to find the number of days in a year for which Earth's biocapacity is sufficient to provide for humanity's Ecological Footprint. The formula is:
\[ \text{Earth Overshoot Day} = \left( \frac{\text{World Biocapacity}}{\text{World Ecological Footprint}} \right) \times 365 \]

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
World Biocapacity refers to the capacity of ecosystems to regenerate what humanity demands from them.
World Ecological Footprint is the measure of humanity's demand on nature, i.e., the quantity of nature it takes to support people or an economy.
The formula essentially compares the planet's supply (biocapacity) with human demand (ecological footprint). Dividing the supply by the demand gives a fraction, which, when multiplied by 365, indicates the day of the year when demand starts to outstrip supply.

Step 4: Final Answer:
Based on the official formula, the correct calculation is (World Biocapacity / World Ecological footprint) x 365.