Ecological footprint

Definition

The biologically productive land and sea area needed to supply a person’s or population’s consumption and absorb associated carbon dioxide emissions, measured in global hectares.

Used by Edexcel

How each exam board covers it

Edexcel GCSE Geography A · 1GA0

Specification 4.5, 6.7 · Paper 2

An ecological footprint measures the biologically productive land and sea area needed to support that consumption and absorb associated carbon dioxide emissions.
Revise: Sustainability, Land Use and Ecological Footprints
The biologically productive land and sea area needed to supply a person’s or population’s consumption and absorb its carbon dioxide emissions, expressed in global hectares.
Revise: Measuring Environmental Impact: Carbon and Ecological Footprints

Exam tips

1
For ecological footprint calculations, add only comparable values in global hectares. Distinguish a population’s total footprint from its average footprint per resident.

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Edexcel Geography A past papers

Edexcel GCSE Geography B · 1GB0

Paper 3

The biologically productive land and sea area needed to provide the resources a person or population consumes and absorb its carbon dioxide emissions, measured in global hectares.
An ecological footprint measures the biologically productive land and sea area needed to support consumption and absorb carbon dioxide emissions. It includes demands such as cropland for food, forest for timber and an area associated with absorbing carbon dioxide.
Revise: Changing attitudes

Edexcel Geography B past papers