Chile is the 27th country to enter into an Ecological Overdraft in 2024 and for the fifth consecutive time it is the first in Latin America to do so. This is shown by the measurements of the Global Ecological Footprint Network (GFN), which year after year calculates the estimated date on which humanity’s demand for resources and services from nature (ecological footprint) exceeds that the Earth can regenerate sustainably for one year (biocapacity), resulting in Ecological Overshoot Day.
In the case of countries, the national overdraft refers to the day on which this overdraft would occur if the entire population of the world had a lifestyle and consumption like that of the inhabitants of a certain country.
Although Chile shows minimal improvement, since in 2022 and 2021 its overdraft occurred on May 15, being delayed this year by eight days, the situation is worrying and should lead to urgent and decisive actions.
“We cannot continue living beyond the natural limits of the planet, because we are already seeing the cost of this in the triple climate crisis, loss of biodiversity and pollution that affects humanity in general and also Chile. If we do not stop this trend, our food and water security will continue to deteriorate, we will be less resilient to climate attacks and inequalities will increase, factors that will hit future generations harder,” says Ricardo Bosshard, director of WWF Chile.
“In our country we are experiencing various processes that we hope can help us get out of this overdraft situation in the medium term, such as the discussion of a Fire Law that allows us to better face this great threat that hits communities hard and generates serious losses of income. biocapacity. We also hope that the new Fisheries Law maintains and perfects aspects such as the ecosystem approach and science-based decision making, which can help recover depleted and overexploited fisheries,” details Bosshard, who also points to the process of decarbonization of the economy. and the implementation of the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service as actions that can contribute to improving the condition of Chile.
The first countries to enter Ecological Overdraft this 2024 were Qatar, on February 11; Luxembourg, February 20; United Arab Emirates, on March 4, and the United States, on March 15. On the other hand, the last countries to overdraw will be Ecuador and Indonesia, on November 24.
Regarding the evolution of Chile in this measurement, in 2019 it went overdrawn on May 19; in 2020, May 18; in 2021, May 17; in 2022 and in 2023 on May 15.
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