Download Ecological Footprint

Ecological Footprint
Objectives:
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
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to be able to explain the concept of an ecological footprint
to begin to evaluate ecological footprints as a model for assessing the demands of a population on the
environment
to calculate ecological footprint from data
to describe and explain the difference in ecological footprint between MEDCs and LEDCs
Ecological
Footprint – what
do you already
know?
What is the IB definition for Ecological Footprint?
In groups, discuss

what do you think would need to be measured in order to determine the ecological footprint
of the Czech Republic?

How could this be done?

Evaluate how accurate and useful this data might be

How do you think ecological footprint is connected to the development of a country?
What exactly therefore is an ecological footprint?
http://www.earthday.org/footprintfaq
Use this website to explore the concept of an ecological footprint and to think about how accurate they
are.
Answer the questions below and calculate the ecological footprint (Use your text & the help sheet)
Data for food consumption are often given in grain equivalents, so that a population with a meat rich diet would tend to consume a
higher grain equivalent than a population that feeds directly on grain.
Why is this?
Table to compare grain productivity and CO2 consumption for two global regions
Population from
Per capita grain
consumption kg yr-1
Local grain productivity
kg ha-1 yr-1
Africa
North America
300
600
6000
300
Per capita CO2
emissions from fossil
fuels Kg C yr-1
200
1500
Net CO2 fixation by
local vegetation Kg C
ha-1 yr-1
6000
3000
1.
What does the high per capita grain production in North America suggest about the diet?
2.
What does the loca grain productivity suggest about the two farming methods in use?
3.
Which population is more dependent on fossil fuels? Explain.
4.
What is meant by carbon dioxide fixation?
5.
Why is there a difference in the net carbon dioxide fixation of the two regions?
6.
Calculate the per capita ecological footprint (food land and carbon dioxide consumption only) for each region.
7.
State two differences you would expect between the ecological footprint of a city in an LEDC and a city in an MEDC.
8.
It has been calculated that the ecological footprint Singapore is 264 times greater than the area of Singapore. Explain what
this means.
9.
Assume that in a large city with a stable population, the proportion of the population that has a vegetarian diet increases.
Explain how this change might affect the city’s ecological footprint.