What does an ecological footprint measure?

An ecological footprint measures the demand placed on Earth's ecosystems by resource consumption. This concept quantifies the ecological assets that a population requires to produce the natural resources it consumes and to absorb the waste it generates. It provides a clear indication of how much biologically productive land and water area is needed to sustain a given lifestyle or population.

This measurement is crucial as it helps to understand the sustainability of current consumption patterns and the impact these patterns have on the planet’s capacity to regenerate resources. By calculating the ecological footprint, we gain insights into whether humanity is living within the Earth's ecological means or overshooting its ability to sustain life, often referred to as living in an "ecological deficit."

While other aspects, such as species diversity and waste production, are important in the context of ecological health, they do not encapsulate the broader picture of resource consumption and ecosystem demand that the ecological footprint specifically measures.