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Ecological Footprint

REMOVE [1]

The Ecological Footprint represents the productive area required to provide the renewable resources humanity is using, as well the area required to absorb the waste emitted.

Data host: 

Global Footprint Network

Unit of Measurement: 

global hectares

Link to Data: 

http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/footprint_for_nations/ [2]

Type of Indicator source: 

  • Non-governmental organisation [3]

Geographical Coverage: 

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Belgium
Benin
Bolivia
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burundi
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Congo (Brazzaville)
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Ethiopia
France
Gambia
Germany
Greece
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Iran
Israel
Italy
Japan
Laos
Lebanon
Macedonia
Madagascar
Mali
Mexico
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Nepal
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Senegal
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Geographical Level: 

  • National [4]

Same/similar indicators appears in the following sets: 

  • EEA's environmental indicators/Environmental Pressure indicators [5]
  • GGGI Set of Diagnostic Indicators for assessing country sustainability in green growth planning [6]
  • WikiProgress.Stat for Healthy Societies [7]

Methodological transparency: 

  • Complete methodology available [8]
Indicator relation: 
Indicator: 
Carbon footprint [9]
Relationship explanation: 
Carbon footprint is one component of the total ecological footprint
Type of relation: 
Component indicator of the aggregate
Indicator: 
Water footprints of national production [10]
Type of relation: 
Similar indicator
Indicator: 
Water footprints of national consumption [11]
Type of relation: 
Similar indicator

Temporal Coverage: 

1961 to 2010

Frequency of Updates: 

  • irregular [12]

Indicator developer: 

Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees

Link to Methodology: 

calculation methodology for the national Footprint accounts, 2010 Edition [13]

Aggregation level of indicator: 

  • Index or Composite [14]

Data quality assesment: 

  • No published quality assessment [15]

Publishing delay: 

  • more than 3 years [16]

Contribution to the green economy: 

The ecological footprints unites various pressures, hence a decreasing footprint is perceived positive with respect the GE. This indicator is a composited indicator, which means trends of one or several indicators which are part of this composited indicator could be masked by trend of other indicators, the composited indicator consist of. For further assessments and a correct interpretation of this indicator, please check the respective single indicators.

Cost of accessing data: 

  • free of charge [17]
Potential misinterpretation: 
Is the ecological footprint improving, but the carbon footprint (as part of it) shows a different trend?
Related Indicator: 
Carbon footprint [9]
Potential misinterpretation: 
Is the Ecological Footprint on a low level when compared to other countries, but high when compared to its available biocapacity?
Related Indicator: 
Government budget appropriations and outlays on R&D (gba)- Total GBAORD by NABS socio-economic objectives [18]
Potential misinterpretation: 
Does the Ecological Footprint show a positive trend, but the non-renewable resource stocks (such metal deposits) which are not included are depleted with increasing speed?
Related Indicator: 
Reserves of mineral resources [19]
Potential misinterpretation: 
Does the Ecological Footprint show a posive trend, but there are more activities which are inherently unsustainable which are not included, such as the production of toxic chemicals.
Related Indicator: 
Production of toxic chemicals [20]
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The NETGREEN project has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration under the Grant Agreement no. 603877.

Source URL: https://measuring-progress.eu/ecological-footprint

Links
[1] https://measuring-progress.eu/coll-del/nojs/627
[2] http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/footprint_for_nations/
[3] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/49
[4] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/33
[5] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/65
[6] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/79
[7] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/95
[8] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/34
[9] https://measuring-progress.eu/carbon-footprint
[10] https://measuring-progress.eu/water-footprints-national-production
[11] https://measuring-progress.eu/water-footprints-national-consumption
[12] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/21
[13] http://www.footprintnetwork.org/images/uploads/National_Footprint_Accounts_Method_Paper_2010.pdf
[14] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/30
[15] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/37
[16] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/26
[17] https://measuring-progress.eu/taxonomy/term/9
[18] https://measuring-progress.eu/government-budget-appropriations-and-outlays-rd-gba-total-gbaord-nabs-socio-economic-objectives
[19] https://measuring-progress.eu/reserves-mineral-resources
[20] https://measuring-progress.eu/production-toxic-chemicals