The extraction rate calculation factor translates a secondary product into primary product equivalents.ĭownload calculation factors here. For example, a combination of two calculation factors-“yield factors” and “equivalence factors”-translates hectares into global hectares. calculation factorĪ generic term for factors which are used to translate a material flow expressed within one measurement system into another one. The total biologically productive area on land and water in 2019 was approximately 12.2 billion hectares. Biomass that is not of use to humans is also not included. Non-productive areas as well as marginal areas with patchy vegetation are not included. The land and water (both marine and inland waters) area that supports significant photosynthetic activity and the accumulation of biomass used by humans. Biocapacity is usually expressed in global hectares. In the National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts, the biocapacity of an area is calculated by multiplying the actual physical area by the yield factor and the appropriate equivalence factor. Biocapacity can change from year to year due to climate, management, and also what portions are considered useful inputs to the human economy. Biocapacity is therefore the ecosystems’ capacity to produce biological materials used by people and to absorb waste material generated by humans, under current management schemes and extraction technologies. The biocapacity of a particular surface represents its ability to regenerate what people demand. Life, including human life, competes for space. The capacity of ecosystems to regenerate what people demand from those surfaces. This area also needs to accommodate the wild species that compete for the same biological material and spaces as humans. Dividing by the number of people alive in that year (7.7 billion) gives 1.6 global hectares per person. There were ~ 12.2 billion hectares of biologically productive land and water on Earth in 2019.

biological capacity available per person (or per capita) How much needs to be set aside depends on biodiversity management practices and the desired outcome. The amount of biocapacity set aside to maintain representative ecosystem types and viable populations of species. audiences, Footprint results are often presented in global acres (ga), rather than global hectares (gha).

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