WE’LL HAVE NORTH KOREA AS AN APPETIZER, PLEASE

Planet enters 'ecological debt' (BBC, October 9th, 2006)

Rising consumption of natural resources means that humans began "eating the planet" on 9 October, a study suggests.

The date symbolised the day of the year when people's demands exceeded the Earth's ability to supply resources and absorb the demands placed upon it.

The figures' authors said the world first "ecological debt day" fell on 19 December 1987, but economic growth had seen it fall earlier each year. [...]

Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Centre for International Political Economy (Ecipe), a Brussels-based think tank, said he applauded the authors on their innovative way of focusing attention to the issue of resource depletion.

But he added he found the concept of ecological debt to be "quite ludicrous".

It’s fun to watch experts and scientists who see themselves as stalwart defenders of modernity against “unenlightened” tradition cower and splutter in the face of postmodern paganism.