The lifestyle of developed nations is going to wear out our planet, according to the conservation group World Wildlife Fund.

WWF released its 2006 Living Planet Report Monday in Beijing. The report notes that humans have been living beyond our means for 20 years, consuming more resources than the planet can sustainably produce.

"The bottom line of this report could not be clearer," said Carter Roberts, president of World Wildlife Fund, "for 20 years we've lived our lives in a way that far exceeds the carrying capacity of the Earth"

The group says if we don't curb our consumption, we will need two planets' worth of natural resources by 2050. This is partially because of a population explosion, from three billion people in 1960 to about 6.5 billion people today.

"Humanity's footprint has more than tripled between 1961 and 2003," reads the report.

Projections indicate 9.5 billion people will call the earth home in 2050.

While humans prosper, other species falter. Populations of many animals, including fish, birds and mammals fell by about a third between 1970 and 2003, predominantly because of human impact such as pollution, logging and over fishing.

"The fact that we live beyond our means in our use of natural resources will surely limit opportunities for future generations that follow," said Roberts.

At the launch of the report in Beijing, WWF Director-General James Leape pointed out that the developed countries are leading the way toward depletion.

"If everyone around the world lived as those in America, we would need five planets to support us," Leape, an American, said in Beijing.

According to the report, people in the United Arab Emirates put the most strain per capita on the planet, followed by Americans, Fins, and Canadians.

In order to ensure the planet continues to support us, the report recommends cutting the use of fossil fuels and changing farming and fishing practices.

Specifically, the report highlights proper land management. Avoidance of toxic chemicals, responsible irrigation and use of farming practices like terracing will protect land from problems like soil erosion and pollution.

If we don't adopt these types of measures, warns the report, we risk losing our lifestyle altogether.

"It is inevitable that this disconnect will eventually limit the abilities of poor countries to develop and rich countries to maintain their prosperity," he added.

WWF has measured what it calls the "Ecological Footprint," or the demand people place on nature. The current demand is 25 per cent greater than the planet's ability to produce resources and recover from human waste.

In 2001, the disparity was 21 per cent.

According to the report, "people are turning resources into waste faster than nature can turn waste back into resources."