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One planet budgeting with the ecological footprint: Opportunities and limitations
By Mathis Wackernagel
Paris 17th of October 2006
The Ecological Footprint method attempts to answer one particular research question: "how much of the planet's biological productivity is occupied by human activities"? If we are serious about sustainable development, there is no way around this question. If we do not live within the means of planet Earth, sustainability is elusive.
Anybody recognizes that it is relevant for a farmer to know how large his or her farm is. Similarly, the Ecological Footprint is an approach to answer this question of ecological supply and human demand at the global, national, regional or even household level. National Footprint accounting is particularly relevant since countries may want to know how much biological productivity they use, and how much they have available within their borders. Are they ecological debtors or creditors? Is their economy exposed to risks that conventional indicators just do not reveal?
Currently, our national Footprint accounts take into account approximately 5,000 data points per country and per year. Are they giving a perfect answer to the question? Certainly not. Are the results nevertheless useful? We think, yes. This presentation explains the basic concepts behind the Footprint tool and outlines the research challenges ahead.
Voir aussi

Past Sessions
Développement durable, transfert de technologie et droits de propriété intellectuelle, 16th of March
Evaluation des services rendus par les zones humides : analyse des effets externes et développement local, Paris, 02nd of February
Risques climatiques et économiques liés au fonctionnement de marché de permis d'émission, 19th of January
Changement climatique, eau et commerce, Paris, 08th of December
À quoi bon des recherches spécialisées en négociation sur les grands dossiers environnementaux ?, Paris, 24th of November
Controversies and Approaches on Mid-term Target Setting in Japan: from 8% to 25%, Paris, 27th of October
Sustainable Transport and Energy Reduction: Can the Challenge be met?, Paris, 22nd of September
Changement climatique et stratégies de développement : quelques pistes de réflexion, Paris, 09th of June
Environmental Change and Forced Migration, Paris, 12th of May
The rise of the Arctic: Resource periphery to geopolitical battleground, Paris, 21st of April
Insurance Mechanisms to help Developing Countries respond to Climate Change, Paris, 17th of March
Crises environnementales et flux migratoires: mécanismes de protection et de gouvernance, Paris, 24th of February
Une mer sans poissons : Vers une approche écosystémique des pêches, Paris, 27th of January
Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Human wellbeing, Paris, 09th of December
Energy Security and Climate Change, Paris, 18th of November
Implementing and financing Sustainable Development: A grassroots experience, Paris, 14th of October
Tackling leakage in a world of unequal carbon prices, Paris, 16th of September
S'adapter aux changements climatiques globaux selon une approche régionale au Québec : le consortium Ouranos, Paris, 01st of July
Philosophie et changement climatique, Paris, 10th of June
Le couple énergie environnement : réalité ou fiction ?, Paris, 20th of May
Outlook for EU ETS post 2012, Paris, 15th of April
International Investment Law and Sustainable Development: Challenges for a New Agenda, Paris, 25th of March
Protection de la biodiversité : quels enjeux pour les entreprises ?, Paris, 05th of February
Changement climatique et tourisme : répondre à un enjeu global, Paris, 29th of January
Dealing with the Extra-Ordinary: managing and financing large-scale risks in a new era of catastrophes, Paris, 13th of November
Instruments économiques et de régulation pour un développement plus durable, Paris, 09th of October
Democracy and Energy Regulation, Paris, 26th of September
Lutte contre le sida et amélioration de la santé globale dans les pays en développement, Paris, 12th of June
The value of biodiversity related ecosystem services, Paris, 29th of May
Climate regime beyond 2012: Some reflections in the context of China, Paris, 24th of April
Evolution du climat : l'apport de la modélisation, 20th of March
Parlez-moi de coûts : réflexions autour d'une source de schizophrénie collective, 16th of January
Discounting and relative prices in assessing future environmental damages, Paris, 12th of December
La transmission des ressources non monétaires en question, 07th of November
One planet budgeting with the ecological footprint: Opportunities and limitations
Vers un développement responsable des nanotechnologies ?, 06th of June
How are rights to emit carbon distributed? The European Union Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme Experience, 23rd of May
Bringing the material back in: United States responses to the global climate change regime, 21st of March
What motivates us to care for the (distant) future?, 21st of February
The Institutional Origins of Transatlantic Discord on Climate Change, 31st of January
Est-il possible de réguler les marchés du monde ?, 13th of December
Risk Communication in the 21st Century, 22nd of November
Soutenabilité et gouvernance des biens communs informationnels, 18th of October
Fiscal instruments and the challenges of fostering biodiversity conservation, 20th of September
La réduction à la source des déchets de consommation : les politiques possibles et leur efficacité, 21st of June
Making sense of the precautionary principle (and its critics), 24th of May
Beyond the global divide: From basic needs to the knowledge revolution, 17th of May
Les subventions nuisibles à l'environnement, 26th of April
Facteur 4 et production électrique dans le monde à l'horizon 2030, 29th of March
Propriété intellectuelle et développement ou comment imposer au monde un système perverti, 15th of February
Chinese power whispers, 17th of December
Accords internationaux sur les investissements et développement durable, 30th of November
Gouvernance internationale de la biodiversité : des politiques incitatives à la gouvernance en réseau, 19th of October
Methods of representing uncertainties in climate sensitivity in integrated assessment modelling, Paris, 08th of June
Equité internationale, justice intergénérationnelle et effet de serre, Paris, 30th of April
Indicateurs du développement durable : entre sciences et processus social, 17th of April
Pauvreté, environnement et développement durable, Paris, 02nd of March
Implementing the precautionary principle in practice: procedural issues, 27th of January
Le Consensus de Washington et les leçons de la transition postcommuniste, Paris, 16th of December
Les fondements éthiques de l'investissement responsable, Paris, 18th of November
Mesures phytosanitaires, barrières techniques au commerce, et environnement, Paris, 14th of October
Etat de la connaissance scientifique et mobilisation du principe de précaution, Paris, 30th of September
L'appropriation de la terre est-elle inéluctable ?, Paris, 01st of July
Capital humain, pauvreté et développement, Paris, 20th of May
Ecotaxes: what have we learned, and how far should we go?, Paris, 04th of March
The WTO and water-related services: going too far, too fast?, Paris, 04th of February
The politics of risk management in the EU and the US, Paris, 07th of January
Addressing industry-distributional concerns in U.S. climate policy, Paris, 17th of December
Evolution à long terme des marchés d'énergies primaires et effet de serre, 08th of October
How can the next steps in international climate policy be made cost-effective?, 17th of September
Matching institutions and ecosystems: the problem of fit, Paris, 25th of July
Assurance des catastrophes naturelles : faut-il choisir entre prévention et solidarité ?, Paris, 07th of May
Sustainable and equitable use of biodiversity, Paris, 11th of April
Crise et précaution, Paris, 19th of March
Les méthodes utilisées en France pour analyser les politiques et les mesures contre l'effet de serre, Paris, 14th of February
Nature and the marketplace, Paris, 01st of February
World risk society and its political dynamics, 13th of December
How valuable are the tropical forests?, Paris, 05th of December
Aspects économiques de la biodiversité, 11th of September
Mesure de la performance : un enjeu pour la régulation de l'eau, 27th of June
CoP6 : le compromis manqué, Paris, 24th of April
Environmental risk management and the business firm, 15th of January
Tests biologiques et assurances, Paris, 21st of December
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