On 27 April 1945, in the midst of the turmoil of the last days of the war, history was made in Vienna: With the proclamation of the Second Republic of... Read more
Awareness
Austria’s Overshoot Day
A wake-up call to rethink and act
On 29 March 2024, Austria has already used up its natural resources for this year – and has therefore reached its national “Overshoot Day” earlier than ever before. Compared to the previous year, when this day did not occur until 7 April, there has been a worrying deterioration in the way we use our limited resources. Every year, the Global Footprint Network calculates when the Earth’s global buffer capacity will be exceeded – and Austria is once again at the top of this ranking of resource consumption. Only Qatar, which celebrated its “Overshoot Day” on 6 February, was even more ruthless.
This development shows that we are living far beyond our means – at the expense of the climate, the environment and future generations. The Chairman of the Lazarus Union Austria, Peter Scherer, emphasises: “We are living far too large. If we continue to consume as if we had several earths at our disposal, then we are not only jeopardising our own future, but above all that of future generations. We need to act now and get out of the wasteful economy and into a system that protects the climate and nature and uses scarce resources responsibly.”
Why is Overshoot Day so alarming?
Overshoot Day highlights the drastic discrepancy between our ecological footprint and the Earth’s biocapacity. We are using more resources than our planet can regenerate – behaviour that is unsustainable in the long term. Austria is one of the countries with the highest consumption of resources in the world. The high standard of living, industrial production, excessive use of energy and land as well as the throwaway culture contribute to Austria’s Overshoot Day occurring earlier every year.
What can be done?
The Lazarus Union is urgently calling for a paradigm shift in politics, business and society. This includes:
- Promotion of renewable energies: The consistent expansion of wind, water and solar energy can help to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- Sustainable production and a circular economy: Products should be designed to be more durable, repairable and reusable in order to minimise waste.
- Conscious consumer behaviour: Less food waste, regional and seasonal products and reducing unnecessary packaging are simple but effective measures.
- Transport transition: The expansion of public transport and the switch to environmentally friendly alternatives such as e-mobility and bicycles must be prioritised.
- Nature conservation and reforestation: Forests are essential for carbon offsetting and biodiversity – their protection and expansion are therefore crucial.
The responsibility of each individual
Every individual can make a contribution through conscious action. The Lazarus Union calls on people to make sustainable decisions in their everyday lives and to commit to a resource-conserving future. “The time to act is now – every single contribution counts! Let’s take responsibility together and set the course for a more sustainable world,” concludes Peter Scherer.
National Overshoot Day is not just a statistic, but a clear signal that our use of resources urgently needs to be reconsidered. It is up to us to bring about change – for a future worth living on our planet.
