1.3.13—Ecological footprints
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Objective
- 1.3.13
- Level
- HL
Read Ecological Footprint as Demand
An ecological footprint estimates the productive land and water needed to supply resource use and absorb wastes at a population’s consumption rate.
It is an area-equivalent demand model. Compare demand with available biocapacity; a larger footprint signals greater pressure, not literal occupied land.
A city’s food, energy and waste demand can require more productive area than the land inside its boundary.
No. It is an area-equivalent estimate of productive demand.
Footprint is not the literal physical area occupied by a person or city.