Earth Overshoot Day: India’s Battle for Ecological Balance

financialexpress.com:

By Ananth Aravamudan

Earth Overshoot Day is an annual milestone that marks the point in each year when humanity consumes more natural resources than the Earth can regenerate. It is calculated by comparing the amount of resources we use, such as energy, water, and food, with the Earth’s ability to replenish those resources within that year. When we reach Earth Overshoot Day, it means that we are using up resources faster than the Earth can renew them, leading to a depletion of our planet’s natural capital.

It is calculated by the Global Footprint Network (GFN) by comparing humanity’s ecological footprints, such as waste output, carbon emissions, and resource consumption, to the Earth’s ability to replenish those resources in that year. In 2023, Earth Overshoot Day will be reached on August 2, when the ecological footprint surpasses Earth’s bio-capacity.

Each country faces its own unique set of challenges in achieving ecological balance. India, a nation grappling with a burgeoning population and rapid urbanization, is the third-largest emitter globally. According to a report in 2019 by UNEP, despite low per-capita emissions, India emits a net 2.9 GtCO2e every year. The country faces mounting water scarcity issues, escalating impacts of climate change, and a range of interconnected environmental problems.

The agriculture sector, already vulnerable to water scarcity, heatwaves, and unpredictable rainfall caused by climate change, experiences reduced crop yields, impacting farmers’ livelihoods and potentially leading to higher unemployment. Climate change-induced events like floods and droughts disrupt infrastructure and construction projects, causing delays and negatively impacting the economy. McKinsey estimates that by