Can humanity meet its needs without wrecking the systems it depends on? This lesson covers sustainable development, the ecological footprint, planetary boundaries and the circular economy.
You will calculate a footprint ratio and a recycling rate. Answer the questions and collect ⭐.
The Brundtland Report (Our Common Future, 1987) defined sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
The ecological footprint is the area of land and sea needed to supply a population’s resources and absorb its waste, measured in global hectares (gha). Biocapacity is the area actually available. If the footprint exceeds biocapacity, the population is in ecological overshoot.
The planetary boundaries framework (Rockström and colleagues, 2009) identifies nine Earth-system processes — including climate change, biodiversity loss, and nitrogen and phosphorus flows — each with a threshold defining a safe operating space for humanity. Crossing a boundary risks abrupt, large-scale change.
A linear economy follows "take–make–dispose." A circular economy keeps materials in use through reduce, reuse, repair and recycle, cutting waste and resource extraction.
Sort each item into the correct category.
Match each term to its meaning.
Sustainable development: Brundtland (1987): meet present needs without harming future generations
Ecological footprint: Demand (gha) vs biocapacity; overshoot when footprint is greater
Planetary boundaries: Nine processes with safe thresholds (Rockström et al., 2009)
Circular economy: Reduce, reuse, repair, recycle — not take–make–dispose
Sustainability means living within the planet’s renewable limits. Press Finish.
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