Driving the human ecological footprint. Issue 1 (1st February 2007)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dietz, Thomas; Rosa, Eugene A.; York, Richard
• Is Part Of: Frontiers in ecology and the environment. Volume 5:Issue 1(2007)
• Page Start: 13
• Page End: 18
• Publication Date: 2007-02-01
• Subjects: Ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Ecology; Environmental sciences; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1890/1540-9295(2007)5[13:DTHEF]2.0.CO;2
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1540-9295

Abstract

Abstract : This comparative analysis shows that population size and affluence are the principal drivers of anthropogenic environmental stressors, while other widely postulated drivers (eg urbanization, economic structure, age distribution) have little effect. Similarly, increased education and life expectancy do not increase environmental stressors, suggesting that some aspects of human well‐being can be improved with minimal environmental impact. Projecting to 2015, we suggest that increases in population and affluence will likely expand human impact on the environment by over one‐third. Countering these driving forces would require increases in the efficiency of resource use of about 2% per year.