TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword .................................................................................................................................................................. 1
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Rethinking Wealth in a Resource-Constrained World / 1
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The Role of Metrics / 1
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Use of the Footprint by Naitonal Governments / 2
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Seizing the Opportunity / 2
Purpose of this Report ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Why We Need Resource Accounting ................................................................................................................... 3 Ecological Footprint Accounting ......................................................................................................................... 3 History of the Ecological Footprint .................................................................................................................... 4 Current Methodology: 2008 Edition, National Footprint Accounts ............................................................. 5
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Ecological Footprint Assessment / 6
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Consumption Footprint, Production Footprint and Trade / 6
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Biocapacity Assessment / 7
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Area Types of the National Footprint Accounts / 7 • Cropland / 7 • Grazing land / 7 • Forest for timber and fuelwood / 8 • Fishing ground / 8 • Built-up land / 8 • Forest for carbon sequestration / 8
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Normalizing Bioproductive Areas – From Hectares to Global Hectares / 8
Account Template and Guidebook ...................................................................................................................... 9
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What information is in the Guidbook? / 9
Limitations of the Ecological Footprint Method ............................................................................................ 11 What the Footprint Does Not Measure? .......................................................................................................... 11
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What the Footprint Does Not Measure Well / 12
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Potential Errors in the Implementation of the 2008 Edition / 12
Results from the 2008 Edition of the National Footprint Accounts ........................................................... 13
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Overshoot: The Global Context / 13
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Regional and National Footprints / 14
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Ecological Footprint of Trade / 22
Footprint Scenarios: Looking at the Future ..................................................................................................... 26