“When we view Carbon within the broader text of the footprint framework, it becomes clear: aggressive sustainability policies are not a romantic gift to Mother Nature or abstract humanity that come at the expense of citizens’ quality of life. Indeed, they are the only way a high quality of life can be secured”.

A Carbon Footprint is 50% of humanity’s overall Ecological Footprint and its most rapidly growing component. Reducing humanity’s Carbon Footprint is the most essential step we can take to end overshoot and live within the means of our planet.

Today, the term “carbon footprint” is often used as shorthand for the amount of carbon being emitted by an activity, organisation or individual.

The Footprint framework encourages us to address the problem of climate change in a way that will not simply transfer the demand from one critical resource to another. It attacks the underlying causes of climate change and the loss, deforestation, soil erosion, water shortage and other environmental problems, rather than the symptoms of addressing the expanding human metabolism of nature’s services.

Global climate change is one of humanity’s greatest challenges: addressing it is key to our long-term well-being and the continued vitality of our societies. As we move forward to address this urgent threat, international agreements will be crucial if we are to reverse our perilous course.

As human pressure on resources escalates, those cities and countries with the least carbon-intensive, most resource-efficient economies will flourish, whilst those requiring cheap and plentiful access to ecological services will become extremely vulnerable and will loose out. It is therefore in the interest of any city or country that wishes to continue to be competitive and provide well-being of its citizens to act first and act boldly.

Attached is a copy of the United Kingdoms CARBON TRUST “Carbon Footprint” document that is a  good aid in Carbon Footprint education.