Just imagine how ecologically pure and poor we all can be

It appears that the ecological footprint of humanity has shrunk this year:

According to research conducted by Global Footprint Network, an international research organisation, coronavirus-induced lockdowns led to a 9.3% reduction in humanity’s ecological footprint compared with the same period last year. However, in order to keep consuming ecological resources at our current rate we would still need the equivalent of 1.6 Earths.

As all should know the Global Footprint Network is less than rigorous in its analysis. Starting in a not very good PhD thesis it measures nuclear power plants as having the same emissions a a coal plant - ludicrous. Further, it insists that land, its unit of measurement, can only be used for one thing. If food is being grown on it then it cannot be used to absorb CO2 from other activities. Although, of course, the CO2 absorbed by the plants we eat is indeed absorbed from all the varied activities. It’s thus a gross overestimate. Finally, the only actual resource it’s measuring as being in excessive use is that ability of the carbon cycle to absorb more emissions. Yes, we know that, we can see atmospheric CO2 rising. It’s not, in short, worth the electrons used to propagate it despite that PhD having been transformed into a nice little earner.

The truly important thing to note though is that UK GDP fell by 20% in order to gain this 10% reduction in resource usage. According to that 1.6 Earth measure we need to reduce consumption by 40%. Which would seem to mean that we need to wipe out our economic activity entirely. This being something we’re not going to do and we wouldn’t survive at all if we did.

It’s not just a flawed measure it’s one leading to an idiot conclusion.