Ecology, Ecosystems and Coastal Management

Carbon foot Print

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is a so called greenhouse gas causing global warming. Other greenhouse gases which might be emitted as a result of your activities are methane and ozone. These greenhouse gases are normally also taken into account for the carbon footprint. They are converted into the amount of CO2 that would cause the same effects on global warming. The carbon footprint is a very powerful tool to understand the impact of personal behaviour on global warming. Today, the term “carbon footprint” is often used as shorthand for the amount of carbon being emitted by an activity or organization. The carbon component of the Ecological Footprint, which we call the carbon Footprint, takes a slightly differing approach. Our carbon Footprint measurement translates the amount of carbon dioxide emissions into the amount of productive land and sea area required to sequester those carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon Footprint is currently 60 percent of humanity’s overall Ecological Footprint and its most rapidly growing component. Humanity’s carbon Footprint has increased 11-fold since 1961. Reducing humanity’s carbon Footprint is the most essential step we can take to end overshoot and live within the means of our planet.