Australia's consumption skyrockets

Australians are consuming the earth's resources at an alarming 
rate, with an ecological footprint per capita that is now 3.5 
times the world average.

"We're running on empty, Australia's natural resource consumption 
is one of the worst in the world", said Greg Bourne, Australian 
CEO of the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF). "We must push forward 
on finding a balance between our consumption of natural resources 
and the earth's ability to renew them."

The Living Planet Report 2004, released by the WWF, shows 
humans now consume 20 per cent more natural resources than the 
earth can produce, and that the number of terrestrial, freshwater 
and marine species fell on average by 40 per cent between 1970 
and 2000.

The Living Planet Index reveals that from 1970 to 2000 
populations of terrestrial and marine species dropped by 30 per 
cent, while freshwater populations plummeted by a spectacular 50 
per cent. The WWF believes this is a direct consequence of 
increasing human demand for food, fibre, energy and water.

Sharpened and enhanced data confirm the trend pointed out in 
previous Living Planet reports.

Our "ecological footprint" — that is the impact of humanity on 
the earth — has increased two-and-a-half fold since 1961. The 
"footprint" is the amount of land it takes to sustain each person 
and now has an area of 7.7 hectares per person in Australia. Of 
course, some people consume much more and many others much less 
than this rough average in our very unequal society.

According to the report, Australians have the fourth worst 
ecological footprint after the United Arab Emirates, US and 
Kuwait.

The "footprint" of the average American is around 9.5 hectares 
while Australians have a 7.7 ha, Canadians a 6.4 ha and British 
5.4 ha "footprint". The 2004 report shows the world average 
footprint is 2.2 ha per person while there is only 1.8 hectares 
of land to provide natural resources for each of the people on 
the planet. The earth's human population is consuming more than 
it can produce.

Particularly alarming is Australia's energy "footprint" — 
dominated by our use of fossils fuels such as coal, gas and oil. 
This is the fastest growing component of the ecological 
"footprint". Globally it has increased by nearly 700 per cent 
between 1961 and 2001. Australia needs more than four global 
hectares per person to absorb the amount of carbon dioxide 
produced from burning fossil fuels.

"A sustainable Australia means we dramatically reduce our impact 
on the environment — we must urgently step up efforts to switch 
to renewable energies and promote energy efficient technologies, 
buildings and transport systems", Mr Bourne said.

"Only a quantum leap in our nation's efforts to deal with key 
threats such as declining water quality and wetland health, weeds 
and pest animals, States still land-clearing, and climate change 
will reduce our impact".

The year 2004 has marked a worrying time for Australian native 
species, with 58 new plants and animals added to the Threatened 
Species List. There are now 1695 plants and animals facing the 
threat of extinction in Australia.

The WWF estimates that up to 20 per cent of Australia's half 
million or so plants and animals could be threatened with 
extinction by 2010.

The Living Planet Report did not consider the social 
political and economic causes of the very unequal size of the 
"footprints" of the world's countries or the relationship between 
the increase of corporate power over the globe and the depletion 
of its resources.