Ecological Footprint
Futuras mejoras
Scientific Improvements to the General Footprint Methodology
This quiz is based on a general methodology known as Footprint 2.0, developed
at Redefining Progress in 2005. Footprint 2.0 was a response to many of the
concerns expressed about standard footprint methodologies by scientists between
1999 and 2004. In particular, Footprint 2.0 includes the entire surface of the
Earth in biocapacity, allocates space for other species, changes the basis of
equivalence factors to net primary productivity (NPP), reallocates the carbon
budget and reports carbon sequestration biocapacity. Still, further refinements
are needed to make the ecological footprint a more rigorous tool for
sustainability analysis. For example, footprint methods are still lacking in
their ability to distinguish between sustainable and unsustainable management
of forests, croplands, pasturelands, and fisheries. Footprint 3.0 is under
development, and will remedy most of the remaining scientific concerns. When
Footprint 3.0 is complete, the quiz will be modified to be consistent with its
approach.
More Accurate Countrywide Averages
The quiz relies on initial countrywide averages for the carbon footprint, food
footprint, housing footprint, and goods and services footprint and then makes a
series of additions or deductions to these based on visitor choices. The
initial countrywide averages are based on data sets published by international
agencies such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the
World Bank. There are concerns about the accuracy of these data sets and the
time lag between gathering and publishing the figures. Our goal is to replace
these data sets with more accurate data derived from in-country sources
wherever possible. In addition, there are emerging opportunities for use of
real time data derived from satellites that can alleviate the time lag concern.
These new data sources will be incorporated into the quiz as they become
available.
Refining the Effects of Choices
With most questions, the quiz adjusts a visitor’s ecological footprint up our
down from countrywide averages based on their choices. For each question, there
is a mid-point selection that is assumed to represent the countrywide average
in terms of consumption or behavior. For example, the quiz
asks a visitor to select a diet profile based on five choices: vegan,
vegetarian, omnivore, carnivore, or top of the food chain. It is assumed that
omnivore is the country wide average, and adjustments are made to the visitor’s
footprint if he or she makes a choice other than this assumed mid-point value.
The assumed mid-point value and the marginal effect of choices away from this
mid-point are important topics for ongoing research. While the quiz relies on
published research in most cases, the overall body of research supporting the
quiz is still lacking. Because of this, we will be constantly looking for
additional studies that, for example, tell us just how much the carbon
footprint can be reduced by moving from a carnivorous diet to a vegetarian
diet.
Additional Sustainability Issues and Aspects
This quiz addresses the effects of a wide range of lifestyle choices such as
diet, shopping habits, transportation and spending behavior, but not all. It is
our intention to modify the quiz to address important sustainability issues and
aspects we’ve overlooked or that emerge as time goes on. For example, when the
first version of this quiz was launched, carbon offset markets were still in
their infancy. Now, it is possible for households to purchase carbon offsets
quite easily, and so we’ve included that choice in our quiz. The Footprint
Forum will be the primary way we gather input and identify where we need to
make changes to the overall quiz design.