Earth Overshoot Day, which marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year, landed on August 22 in 2020, almost a month later than in 2019, according to data from the Global Footprint Network (GFN).

Romania's overshoot day, which marks the date on which Earth Overshoot Day would fall if all of humanity consumed like Romanian residents, was July 11, according to WWF Romania.

"If last year GFN announced that we consumed globally, on average, the equivalent of 1.75 planets, in 2020, we see a reduction in the ecological footprint of humanity by 9.3%. Consumption is temporarily at the level of 2005-2006, meaning that we currently use natural resources 1.6 times faster than our planet's ecosystems can regenerate, the equivalent of 1.6 planets," WWF Romania said in a press release.

The data for 2020 "was affected by the temporary shutdown of economic activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the break given to nature is too short to really matter. In the absence of measures and alternatives for people, this result will be canceled soon," the NGO explained.

WWF Romania also said that it is important to protect the freshwater sources, on which agriculture depends, but also the forests and the wildlife. 

Alex Gavan, a famous Romanian climber and environmental activist, also announced on his Facebook page that the Earth Overshoot Day landed on August 22 this year, warning that, 20 years ago, this date was about two months later.

"We are the only species on Earth that destroys its own habitat. I think it's important to understand that we are not the masters of this planet, the conquerors of this planet, but rather its custodians, and this position comes with a corresponding responsibility," Alex Gavan wrote on Facebook.

newsroom@romania-insider.com

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