Attachments
Equivalence Factors In order to combine the Ecological Footprints or biocapacities of different land use types a second coefficient is necessary. Equivalence factors convert real areas of different land use types in hectares into their equivalent in global hectares. Equivalence factors and Yield factors are used in both footprint and biocapacity calculations to provide consistent results expressed in comparable units. Equivalence factors translate the area supplied or demanded for a given type of land use (world average for cropland, grazing land, forest, fisheries and land for carbon absorption or built-up land) into average world measurements of biologically productive area, namely, global hectares. The equivalence factor for built-up land is set equal to that for cropland while that of carbon uptake land is set equal to that of forest land. That is based on the suppositions that infrastructure tends to be built on or near productive agricultural land and that carbon absorption occurs in forest areas. The equivalence factor for hydroelectric reservoir area is set equal to one reflecting the assumption that hydroelectric reservoirs flood world average land The equivalence factor for marine area is calculated such that a single global hectare of pasture will produce an amount of calories of beef equal to the amount of calories that can be produced by a global area of fisheries in fish. The equivalence factor for waterways is equal to the equivalence factor for marine areas. In 2005, for example, the equivalence factor for cultivated agricultural areas was 2.64 showing that the average productivity of cultivated land in the world was more than double the average productivity of all land types considered together. For that same year the equivalence factor for grazing land was 0.40 showing that the pastures were, on average 40% of the productivity of a global hectare. Equivalency factors are calculated every year and for a given year they are the same for all countries.
Campo Grande Ecological Footprint 2012 p.
98