What is Biocapacity?
The capacity of ecosystems to produce useful biological materials and to absorb waste materials generated by humans, using current management schemes and extraction technologies.Biocapacity deficit
The difference between the biocapacity and Ecological Footprint of a region or country. A biocapacity deficit occurs when the Footprint of a population exceeds the biocapacity of the area available to that population.Conversely, a biocapacity remainder exists when the biocapacity of a region exceeds its population’s Footprint. If there is a regional or national biocapacity deficit, it means that the region is importing biocapacity through trade or liquidating regional ecological assets.
In contrast, the global biocapacity deficit cannot be compensated through trade, and is therefore equal to overshoot.
Humanity’s Ecological Footprint exceeded the Earth’s biocapacity by more than 50 per cent in 2008.
© Edward Parker / WWF; Brent Striton / Getty Images/ WWF-UK; National Geographic Stock / Paul Nicklen / WWF-Canada
It takes into account two factors:
1. The area available for:
1. The area available for:
- cropland for producing food, fibre and biofuels
- grazing land for animal products such as meat, milk, leather and wool
- coastal and inland fishing grounds
- forests, which both provide wood and can absorb CO2.
- measured by how much the crops or trees growing on it yield per hectare.
Biocapacity is not spread evenly around the world
Over half the world’s biocapacity is found within the borders of just 10 countries
- Brazil
- China
- the United States
- the Russian Federation
- India
- Canada
- Australia
- Indonesia
- Argentina
- Congo, Democratic Republic of