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World heading for ecological credit crunch: WWF
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CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Wednesday Oct. 29, 2008 9:27 AM ET
Human demands on the world's resources are nearly a third more than what the earth can sustain, setting the stage for an "ecological credit crunch," says a new report.
The WWF's Living Planet Report, which offers a summery of the planet's health, says future generations will face a crunch if humans continue to amass an ecological deficit.
"The world is currently struggling with the consequences of over-valuing its financial assets but a more fundamental crisis looms ahead -- an ecological credit crunch caused by under-valuing the environmental assets that are the basis of all life and prosperity," WWF International Director-General James Leape said in a statement.
According to the report, Canadians were found to have the seventh largest ecological footprint -- which is measured by comparing the human demand on the Earth's ecosystems to the Earth's ability to regenerate those resources.
About half of Canada's ecological footprint was the result of carbon released from transportation, heating and electricity production, which all contribute to climate change.
The report also found Canada has the 12th largest water footprint, with the average Canadian consuming more than two million litres of water annually.
WWF says the "good news" is that there is the means to reverse the ecological credit crunch. However, it will take a transformation of the Canadian lifestyle and economy, says the report.
"We are borrowing from our children to live beyond our means, and our children will pay the price," Gerald Butts, President and CEO of WWF-Canada, said in a press release.
"If everyone on Earth used the resources we use as Canadians, it would take three planets to meet our demand. We can change, but we have to start now."
In order to reduce Canada's ecological footprint, WWF-Canada is urging:
- The Canadian government to work aggressively to reduce Canada's carbon footprint by implementing measures that would predictably reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as increasing energy efficiency standards, and sign a new global climate agreement in Copenhagen in December 2009.
- Canadian industry to become global leaders in using resources more efficiently, especially carbon and water.
- Individual Canadians to take responsibility for their own consumption and reduce their own ecological footprint through initiatives such as WWF's The Good Life.
The report is published every two years and is widely accepted as a statement of the Earth's ability to remain a "living planet," says the WWF.
On a per-country basis, the United States and China registered the largest ecological footprints.
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I applaud the budget, even though Health Care and education may stay unscathed. Sadly this cannot last and I worry to later this year where cuts will become enviable. If anything, this provides the Wildrose Alliance plenty of ammo when an election is called.
Comments are now closed for this story
Nancy
said
Jonny of the RCR
said
Simon Shaw
said
That being said. Humans are too preoccupied with their own financial survival to even think about the sustainability of the planet. We like the idea of passing on a living planet to our children and grand children, as long as we do not have to pay for it. It may sound very pessimistic but the outcome of our elections are direct proof of this.
ARJAY
said
Sounds like the kind of thinking that got us into this mess in the first place. It was Republican economics that made such a mess of the States and produced the credit crunch. Now a similar kind of thinking will create another world wide-crisis in the environment. And who will conservative-minded people blame?
Ecologists. The "liberal media". Al Gore. The left-wing "elitists". ...Obama. Anybody but themselves.
That is, if they ever get around to figuring out that there is a crisis at all. Even as the ice caps melt, they're in denial.
All of the "villains" will be the very people who are trying to warn us about the coming disaster.
Sorry folks, but the party's over, not just economically, but environmentally too. All brought to us courtesy of the right wing and its 19th century thinking.
D in Calgary
said
Steve
said
Richard
said
enviro nags be gone!
trick
said
John Lee
said
What does it matter if people become rich, what does it matter if our lives are filled with conveniences and comforts... when our children and their children will never see snow falling, the leaves turning colour, cannot drink the water from our taps and cannot breath the air.
Do you think nature will have pity on us? Do you think the industrialists and the well to do will care if the masses can't afford the $10/litre of water? Do you really think that the money will let us have healthy children when we pollute the very water we drink and the air we breath...
We as a the human race is the WORST thing that has happened to the planet and to ourselves.
We, as humans, are using up all the resources that the planet had created over millions of years in 500 years of "modern" civilization...
Michael (Ottawa)
said
...environmental propaganda spewed as truth by leftover socialists who miss their Nanny state is little more than a substitute for the facts.
The planet is not dying and the 'grand plan' isn't completed just yet so sit back eat your pop corn...and learn a few things from us 19th century Conservatives.
Cliff
said
I have one question for these deniers: As the population grows and the planets resources are depleted, at what point do you think our environment will no longer be able to sustain life? Understanding that the population is indeed growing and that we are big consumers, do you not imagine that there could be limits our natural resources? And, if the answer is 'yes', than what makes you so all-knowing to say that this is not the time? Why would you even want to take that gamble when we could all lead a healthier lifestyle for ourselves and for the planet. Or is consuming such an all-encompassing addiction that it's much easier to deny the obvious - that there is only so much to go around. Wouldn't it be better to err on the side of caution, even if it costs us a little of our conveniences and comforts? Let's not forget that we're not necessarily gambling with our own lives (though we may be), but the lives of our children. Anyone who pretends to be an expert on this is taking the gamble that all will be fine. Other arm-chair experts claim it's MERELY another ice age coming - a natural cycle that we can do nothing about. How do they really KNOW this? How does anyone KNOW this? Nobody does. But we do know for sure that we will eventually run out of time. Let's do something NOW!
Concerned
said
I use what I have to and try to avoid the unneccesary in order to try to do something. Even if it is a small bit everything helps.
Its time to wake up and smell the roses, before they are gone.
Albert in NB
said
pete
said
River
said
Greg
said
If that is the case I'm not sure how much impact we are really having. I do support the idea of being good stewards of the resources given to us. I also believe we do need to improve were we can. However, as someone who is involved in building an environmentally friendly house... it is far more expensive than any of these tree hugs want to admit!
Cliff
said
Jeebus
said
Maybe there are too many people in the world.
Maybe The US, Russia and China will go to war. Use ip all the resources and reduce the amount of people on the planet.
It could be worse.
Is the news all about glood and doom? Seems so.
BB
said
SK Prairie Boy
said
Andy
said
People are so fickle, I wonder what the next media created major Global event will be.
Kyle
said
Winnipeg
said
ARJAY
said
The rapid warming that we are experiencing right now has no geological precedent- and that warming is highly correlated with increases in our output of CO2. The problem is that this extremely rapid change is causing tremendous environmental damage even now.
It's not just a matter of the earth warming by a few degrees- even a few degrees represents an incredible total of energy, and that energy drives weather systems into new and potentially catastrophic forms, such as increases in hurricane strength and frequency. We are facing unprecedented eruptions of new diseases as well, much of it due to global warming allowing disease organisms to invade new eco niches ...
beth
said
GHW
said
With all of these problems it seems to me the only way to come close to surviving is a socialistic world government. Like it or not socialism is coming and in a big way but I don’t believe for a minute it will come peacefully. If only life were more complex than our five senses and reason can currently comprehend, there might be a way to save ourselves.
Jim in Edmonton
said
MuskyBuck
said
While I always give a second thought to any report, most blogging here have shown me in the past three months that you can't get beyond your own little place in the world.
The first few comments and then most after define my point exactly.
Canadians are second only to the US for the amount of energy we use and pollution we cast into the environment.
I hardly expect someone who's made themselves comfortable with their gluttony to be objective about it.
FreakAlert
said
Hagi
said
I hardly expect someone who's made themselves comfortable with their gluttony to be objective about it."
Did you think those tending rice patties use more energy? DUH?!
Of course we use more energy does that make us wrong for doing so? NO!
I'll use energy as I have it to use to power all the conveniences we have at our disposal. I will also contribute to help make third worlds more advanced than they are.
KC
said
6.6 billion people now and another billion will be here for lunch in a few years & rapidly grow thereafter. People will be scratching their heads wondering what went wrong - that is human nature.
MuskyBuck
said
Interestingly enough, thats the same arguement the US and Canada have used to attempt to derail any world sanctioning of pollution controls.
At the UN sponsored Bali meetings back in December in which the entire world attended, both India and China called Jims, the US and Canada's bluff.
They agreed to be held to the same level standards of measurement and controls that the rest of the developed nations would be held to.
The US shocked, stunned immediately spoke up and said that the US couldn't agree to anything decided or worked on at the meeting.
They were booed by every single country in attendance.
Canada sat there quitely and allowed 'big brother' to take the hit.
Whats your excuse now?
Doug
said
If you're waiting for a global concensus on how to handle this,I think you're already doomed.And,since the solutions require a global strategy,I don't see how we can even be close to action.
That said,don't be to worried.I don't think it was ever ordained that humans would populate the planet forever.And,it is widely believed that,if we were all suddenly gone,only a couple hundred years would be required to remove most of the evidence that we were ever here at all.
Live your lives.Be as responsible as is reasonably possibe.There is no science or environmental action that can save the human race from the same fate as the dinosaurs unless we are able to confront the issue of overpopulation.I don't see that happening any time soon.
It seems inevitable that some event,natural or man made,will eventually push the "reset" button on planet earth,and a whole new cycle will start the entire process all over.With,or without the human species.
Until then,enjoy.We only get one shot at life here.At least,I think so.
Frank Buchan (Vauxhall, Alberta by way of Ontario)
said
Having said that, the actual problem is population, and there are only a few sure things that will correct that -- none of them much fun (war, famine, plague, etc.).
It seems to me that even if we did act on climate change, we are just weakening ourselves in context of a global population that won't. China certainly isn't about to starve its people wholesale to save the world, or even a Panda. Being realistic is challenging in this PC day and age, but rational thought tells us how unlikely that is.
Having said that, narrower focus might be more useful than screeching doom and gloom. I have no problem attacking pollution for reasons that have nothing to do with saving the world -- how about just observing the impact on local health? How about we just save ourselves for the entertainment value?
Until we get down to asking and answering as to what positives are in it for us, as individuals, we'll be at loggerheads...and that's a shame since there are so many natural benefits to reducing pollution that no one argues againt.
Dylan
said
Sure, the environment doesn't matter. Let's rape and pillage the earth and leave nothing behind for future generations.
I don't think it's difficult at all to reduce your carbon footprint and still have a high standard of living. It's a matter of having the will to change. Are we that lazy and complacent?
Eric
said
Richie
said
radu
said
Egan
said
Marie
said
PH
said
The vast majority of water 'used' gets recycled through water treatment and goes back into rivers or lakes to be used again. Water does evaporate but falls as rain somewhere else. The WWF only looks at the consumption side doesn't include the clean returns in their calculations.
Global temperature monitoring shows a 10 year cooling trend which doesn't correlate with the Carbon hypothesis.
The environmental credit crunch is caused by allowing environmental activists to stop the building of power plants, refineries and other forms of energy production. This is already costing us money and will cost more.
This kind of report is biased and misleading. Amazing how many people get sucked in. I no longer donate to the WWF.
Mike In Ottawa
said
Brad
said
I do my part in recycling, composting, and pollution control but quit telling me I'm spending my kids future living beyond my means. Enough!!
PBW in WPG
said
I wonder why that is?
Oh yes, Canada is the second largest country in the world with huge distances to be covered. It is quite far north, so we need more light during the Fall, Winter and Spring months. And yes, we have one of the most extreme climates on earth, with our cold winters and hot summers. Is it any wonder we use a lot of energy per capita? What does the WWF want - that we all move into a country where energy consumption can be negligible? Or would they prefer that the human race not exist at all?
Like some other posters, I think this is just a press release to try and trigger donations. Perhaps they should get out and *create* wealth instead of trying to get others to part with what they have struggled to make.
FLB in Brampton
said
Bernard Romanycia
said
Jonny of the RCR
said
Forget the economy, our existance is at stake.
said
The lifestyles of North Americans and Europe has brought a looming environmental catastrophe. And our populations can be meausured in just the hundreds of millions.
Now that China and India, together about 1/2 the global population, or 3 BILLION people, want what we have, they're going to continue industrializing and consuming to get it.
So if 1/6 of the global population could get us to the state where we're worried about the planet's health, what do you think 1/2 the planet's population will do to it when they start consuming like us???
There will be a global rebalance. It's just a question of when, and how many humans will survive.
But hey, at least we all got to drive lots and have our big screen TV's, right?
As I said, the planet will be just fine. Anything we do is to save our own skins.
bob
said
Reece
said
An overwhelming majority of scientists agree with the conclusion that the earth is warming. BTW, PF, the oil industry can buy a scientist or two to argue against the global concensus & raise enough doubt to convince some people but that's the nature of capitalism...you can even sell your soul to the devil.
Jonny of the RCR
said
Nancy
said
People like Nancy, Richard and trick should be recorded as not believing or caring about global warming, so when a disaster strikes, be it a natural disaster, food shortage or foul air quality, they will not be allowed to receive government help. But as usual, those people will be the first ones in line- after all it is all about THEM anyway.
Jon in Oshawa
said
Peggy
said
I've read a couple of peoples responses from the list of post and you don't sound too smart! You think that WWF is taking advantage of the economics and making ecological comparisons... that's one un-bright response. In reality if all Governments don't step up to the plate and start making some Major changes to how the world is being run we'll all be sh!t out of luck.