Goal 12 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda highlights the need to address the problem of the accelerated consumption of our planet’s resources. A significant aspect of this challenge is the concept of “Earth Overshoot Day”.
“Overshoot day” marks the time of the year when human consumption of natural resources exceeds the Earth’s ability to regenerate them within the same period. Over the years, this day has moved further and further forward in the calendar, indicating unsustainable consumption of global resources.
Annual resource indicators include arable land, forests, fish stocks and freshwater resources. Every year, humanity exceeds the amount of resources the Earth can regenerate, leading to an accumulation of ecological debt. This overexploitation leads to environmental problems such as deforestation, depletion of fish resources and loss of biodiversity.
To reverse this trend, it is essential to adopt more sustainable consumption and production models. This involves reducing waste, promoting energy efficiency, and investing in technologies and practices that minimize environmental impact. Educating society about the consequences of overexploitation of resources is equally crucial to encouraging sustainable behavior.
Addressing the “day of overcoming” problem is directly related to Goal 12, as promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns is key to reversing this trend and ensuring responsible management of natural resources for future generations. Only through a global and coordinated effort can we hope to slow down and, ideally, reverse the trend towards the uncontrolled exploitation of our planet’s resources.
Edited by Fabio Coppola