‘Earth overshoot day’ arrives early

The world today hit “Earth overshoot day” – the day we have used all the resources the planet can provide for the year, experts say.

It is the earliest overshoot day recorded since we began overusing the planet’s natural resources in the Seventies, said the Global Footprint Network, which calculates the date.

Humanity is using natural resources 1.7 times faster than the planet can cope with – and Britons are using so much that it would take three Earths to sustain the world if everyone lived like us. As a result, we are running out of fish, fresh water, fertile soil and wildlife. The climate is changing and droughts, wildfires and hurricanes are more severe. Mathis Wackernagel, CEO of the network, said: “Our economies are running a Ponzi scheme with the planet.” To tackle this, he said, we should cut cars, walk and cycle more, cut carbon and food waste, eat sensibly and stop having so many children.