Earth Overshoot Day is August 22, more than three weeks later than last year

OAKLAND, CA, USA — JUNE 5, 2020 — Earth Overshoot Day 2020 lands on August 22, more than three weeks later than in 2019, according to Global Footprint Network. The date reflects the 9.3% reduction of humanity’s Ecological Footprint from January 1^st to Earth Overshoot Day compared to the same period last year, which is a direct consequence of the coronavirus-induced lockdowns around the world. Decreases in wood harvest and CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion are the major drivers behind the historic shift in the long-term growth of humanity’s Ecological Footprint.

The sudden year-over-year Ecological Footprint contraction, however, is a far cry from the intentional change which is required to achieve both ecological balance and people’s well-being, two inextricable components of sustainability. At Global Footprint Network, we envision a world where humanity lives on our planet’s ecological budget by design rather than by disaster, so that all thrive within the means of Earth.