Living on our planet
Looking Ahead: the Risks of a Biocapacity Deficit
80%
of the world’s population use more natural resources than are generated within their own borders
According to Global Footprint Network analysis (2010), more than 80% of the world’s population lives in countries that use more natural resources than are generated renewably within their own borders. These countries, so called biocapacity debtors, have a biocapacity deficit that can only be met by continuing to deplete their natural resources beyond sustainable levels and/or by importing resources from other countries. Countries have the option of trading biocapacity in the form of commodities and the water and energy used to produce these commodities. As shown in Figure 9, the majority of countries in the Asia and Pacific region are biodiversity debtors, while only a few are biocapacity creditors (i.e., countries that have a greater biocapacity available than is currently being used). The concept of biocapacity creditors and debtors does not mean that countries should only consume within their own borders and not engage in global trade. However, just as a trade deficit can be a liability, so can a biocapacity deficit. Since biocapacity is embodied in imported and exported commodity flows, countries with a high biocapacity deficit, such Singapore, the Republic of Korea, and Japan, may suffer more from rising commodity costs to sustain their consumption. Throughout the 20th century, dramatic improvements in exploration, extraction, and cultivation techniques were able to keep supply ahead of ever-increasing global needs. This allowed prices of commodities to become progressively cheaper, even as the planet’s population tripled and demand for various resources skyrocketed. Today however, the rapid emergence of a middle-class in developing countries is driving demands for commodities ever higher. At the same time, it is becoming more and 12 10
-6
Myanmar
Indonesia
Lao, PDR
Timor-Leste
Papua New Guinea
-4
Australia
-2
New Zealand
0
Singapore
Japan
Malaysia
PRC
World
Thailand
Asia Pacific
Sri Lanka
Korea, DPR
India
Philippines
Pakistan
Viet Nam
Bangladesh
2
-8
28
Cambodia
4
Nepal
6
Korea, Republic of
8
Mongolia
Biocapcity deficit (global hectares per capita)
Figure 9: Biocapacity Debtors and Creditors in Asia and the Pacific for 2008 (data Global Footprint network)