Yesterday (8 August) marked Earth Overshoot Day, the day in which we have used as many natural resources as the planet can replenish in a year. This year once again marks the earliest that the crossover has occurred, falling more than a month earlier than in 2003 (13 September).

The ever-advancing march of human consumption’s demand on natural resources caused the head of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to state yesterday that resource efficiency is the biggest threat to the global environment, as he launched a new strategy for ensuring resources are used efficiently and productively.

According to the Global Footprint Network (GFN), the research organisation that charts the world’s ecological footprint and biocapacity to calculate when we begin operating at a deficit each year, we are currently using 1.6-planets-worth of natural resources and processes every year.

The USA-based GFN states that carbon emissions are the fastest growing contributor to the ecological overshoot, with the global carbon footprint making up 60 per cent of humanity’s demand on nature. Across the world we are emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than oceans and forests can absorb.

The UK is one of the worst perpetrators for resource overconsumption, according to GFN figures. If the world’s population all acted as we do, then 2.9 planets would be needed every year to manage our ecological footprint.

Surprisingly, Australia is the biggest culprit, requiring 5.4 planets, compared to the USA’s 4.8.

However, Mathis Wackernagel, Co-Founder and CEO of the GFN, says that there is hope in the goals set out in the Paris climate agreement signed by nearly 200 countries last year, which he says could see this carbon footprint fall to more sustainable levels.

“Such a new way of living comes with many advantages, and making it happen takes effort,” says Wackernagel. “The good news is that it is possible with current technology, and financially advantageous with overall benefits exceeding costs. It will stimulate emerging sectors like renewable energy, while reducing risks and costs associated with the impact of climate change on inadequate infrastructure. The only resource we still need more of is political will.”

Resource use the biggest threat to the environment

The need to better manage resources and waste has been acknowledged by the SEPA, whose Chief Executive told the Guardian yesterday that resource efficiency is now the biggest threat to the environment after successful work to address air, water and soil pollution.

Terry A’Hearn made the claim yesterday as SEPA launched a new strategy for delivering environmental protection and supporting businesses to find innovative ways to protect resources.

The ‘One Planet Prosperity’ strategy seeks to galvanise improvement in Scotland’s environmental performance in ways that ‘will also create health benefits and sustainable economic growth’.

A’Hearn said: “Under this strategy, SEPA will make two key contributions to making Scotland stronger. First, we will more quickly and powerfully get all Scottish businesses meeting the environmental laws in Scotland. Second, we will help as many Scottish businesses as possible go even further, helping them find profitable ways to go beyond what the law requires in reducing their use of energy, water and materials and the amount of waste they produce.

"By identifying where individual businesses and industry can go beyond compliance, Scotland has the unique opportunity to set the trend on a global scale.

“There are huge economic incentives for going beyond basic compliance. Especially as pressure on our current resources becomes greater, it will ultimately be businesses that are more sustainable that will continue to thrive, helping to create more lasting and inclusive growth in Scotland."

As part of this drive, SEPA aims to develop a range of new regulatory tools to deliver the strategy including a streamlined charging scheme, new enforcement powers and development of Sustainable Growth Agreements with industry leaders. After the agency was given greater powers under reforms passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2014, it is now able to impose fines as high as £40,000 for environmental mismanagement.

More information about Earth Overshoot Day and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s ‘One Planet Prosperity’ strategy can be found at the organisations’ websites.