Humanity has used up all the ecological resources and ecosystem services that Earth can sustainably provide for this year as of 30 July, according to World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Belgium.
The date, known as Earth Overshoot Day, fell on 2 August in 2023, meaning it has come earlier this year.
WWF says humanity is now using natural resources 73% faster than ecosystems can regenerate them over the same period. In effect, it says, that the world is living as if it had almost two Earths at its disposal.
Belgium’s consumption is even higher than the global average. According to the NGO, Belgium’s overshoot day fell on 11 April.
If everyone in the world lived like people in Belgium, humanity would need about 3.6 Earths, WWF said.
The organisation advocates for cutting fossil fuel use, including by speeding up the energy transition and ending fossil fuel subsidies. It also says action is needed to halt deforestation, make food systems more sustainable and redirect finance towards nature-friendly solutions.
WWF is also urging individuals to play their part, for example by eating more plant-based food, saving energy, shopping more responsibly, reducing waste and choosing renewable energy sources.
“The fact that Earth Overshoot Day falls so early in the year is once again an important sign of the urgent need to step up efforts and reduce our ecological footprint,” Catherine Renard of WWF-Belgium said in a statement.
