On August 22, the world will mark Earth Overshoot Day – the day when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what planet Earth can regenerate in that period.

It’s an improvement of three weeks from 2019, when Earth Overshoot Day fell on July 29th, but that advance is due solely to the lockdown measures imposed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. To permanently #movethedate we have to choose our future by design not disaster.

With this theme in mind The Herald, in conjunction with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the California-based Global Footprint Network, has launched its Earth Overshoot Day campaign.

As part of this campaign, The Herald will be hosting a live virtual event experience on Thursday, August 6th to discuss the challenges we face to #MoveTheDate of Earth Overshoot Day.

Editor-in-chief of The Herald, Donald Martin, will chair an interactive discussion with a distinguished speakers including our keynote, leading entrepreneur Dr Marie Macklin CBE; and panel members, CEO of SEPA Terry A’Hearn, President of the Global Footprint Network, Mathis Wackernagel, board member of the 2050 Climate Group, Catriona Patterson, and Professor Jaime Toney, co-founder, Centre for Sustainable Solutions at the University of Glasgow.

Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive of event partner SEPA, said: “With Earth Overshoot Day fast approaching, this webinar provides an accessible forum for the kinds of conversations we, as a society, should be looking to have more and more frequently.

“COP26 may have been postponed, but the work required to build towards a sustainable world, with the help of the people and businesses who will get us there, has already begun. I’d encourage anyone with an interest in sustainable growth, tackling climate change and moving the date of earth overshoot back to get involved and join to listen to our panel of progressive climate and business leaders.”

Also joining the panel will be Catriona Patterson, board member of the 2050 Climate Group. She said:  "I'm one of the many calling to #MoveTheDate. The current pandemic is a stark reminder of what is at stake and young people's voices must be heard as we focus on a better future.

“At 2050 Climate Group we seek to address climate challenges and opportunities head-on. We need wide-ranging systemic change and I'm hoping this event will explore the real changes we can make in how we can live, work, learn and travel so that we can truly achieve a just, sustainable and prosperous world for all."  

The concept of Earth Overshoot Day comes from the San Francisco-based Global Footprint Network. Its president, Mathis Wackernagel, said that by choosing design over disaster we can begin to redress the ecological imbalance of our consumption versus what the Earth can regenerate.

“It is the only sensible path forward because Earth’s ecological budget is not up for negotiation, the only choice before us is whether we build one-planet prosperity or one-planet misery,” he commented.

The Herald’s Earth Overshoot Day Virtual Event Experience, Choosing Our Future by Design Not Disaster will be delivered by Newsquest Scotland Events via Cameron Presentations on Thursday, August 6th at 6pm.

For further information http://newsquestscotlandevents.com/events/choosing-our-future/

Or contact, Events Director for The Herald, Lyndsay Wilson. Lyndsay.wilson@heraldandtimes.co.uk