Footprint facts and fallacies: A response to Giampietro and Saltelli (2014) “Footprints to Nowhere”

摘要: Abstract The Ecological Footprint is a resource accounting tool that tracks human demand on the Earth's biological flows, and compares it with capacity to generate these same flows. Critical discussion of contributes ongoing development its methodology, comprehensibility policy relevance as science-based metric. Giampietro Saltelli's recent critical article provides an opportunity address some fundamental misunderstandings about metric, including research question seeks address, methodology used calculate biocapacity results, what results do not imply. Contrary their criticisms, shown reflects productivity actual rather than hypothetical ecosystems, does claim be comprehensive measure sustainability, prescriptive trade practices nor any other decisions, how respond finding world in ecological overshoot. Despite acknowledged current limitations accounting, calculation exercising scientific caution, might somewhat underestimate challenge facing humanity, criticism are reassuring encourage complacency appears unwarranted. In addition, argued continued refinement metric new findings improved data sets become available not, Saltelli suggest, liability measure, but instead strength increases both value indicator magnitude pressure global relevance.