There are still 156 days left in the year 2021 and already humanity’s demand for ecological resources has surpassed what the planet can regenerate this year.
This critical juncture is known as Earth Overshoot Day.
Overshoot Day was conceived by Andrew Simms of the New Economics Foundation, a UK think tank which created a campaign in partnership with Global Footprint Network in 2006. That year, the day landed on Aug. 18.
“We need three to five times more action to reduce CO2 emissions in view of meeting the Paris Agreement 1.5°C trajectory,” Olivier Blum, Schneider Electric’s Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer said in a press release. “To meet this challenge together, the focus must now be on concrete actions with short-term impact, namely the adoption of digital and electric technology and solutions that exist today.”
Schneider Electric is one of three partners who created a campaign called 100 Days of Possibility this year. This campaign marks the 100 days between Overshoot Day 2021 and the COP26 climate summit.
The purpose of the initiative is to feature expandable solutions that will work towards bringing resource demand and supply into balance and suggest ways to #MovetheDate.
Last year, the demand for resources dropped with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the date for 2021 continued the pre-pandemic trend.
Examples that #MovetheDate includes are food waste reduction, smart energy and low impact ecotourism.
100DaysofPossibility.org will reveal solutions every day until COP26.
