GAR 2015 Main Report

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Part III - Chapter 12

12.1In search of a missing planet

The global ecological footprint currently exceeds the earth’s biocapacity by far. Current economic growth models rely on high levels of CO2 emissions and the increasing consumption of environmental resources, including freshwater, forest and marine resources.

Today, the Fijian island village of Vunidogolo is still relatively unknown, but it is already on its way to making history. The permanent relocation of its entire population as a precaution against

rising sea levels made headlines in countless news outlets and social media posts. After the village suffered repeatedly from heavy floods and storms, the government of Fiji decided on this radical move, and in January 2014 all residents of Vunidogolo were relocated to higher ground.

Vunidogolo is not alone. More than 650 communities all over Fiji are threatened by loss of coastal land and damage to infrastructure from sea level rise and storm surges, and more than 40 communities have already been identified for relocation within the next 10 years.1 The people

Figure 12.1 Human demand already exceeds the planet’s capacities

(Source: Global Footprint Network, 2013.)

As overconsumption progressively overwhelms the capacity of planetary systems, risk to the world’s social and economic system as a whole is increasing to potentially catastrophic levels. Climate change, declining biodiversity and depleted water availability will lead to increasing disaster risks.

While the HFA has recognized the role of climate change in driving risk, its interpretation has not allowed full recognition of the fact that those risks are not evenly shared. Increased inequality transfers and concentrates those risks in low-income households, territories and economies.

	230 Part III - Chapter 12 12.1In search of a missing planet The global ecological footprint currently exceeds the earth’s biocapacity by far. Current economic growth models rely on high levels of CO2 emissions and the increasing consumption of environmental resources, including freshwater, forest and marine resources. Today, the Fijian island village of Vunidogolo is still relatively unknown, but it is already on its way to making history. The permanent relocation of its entire population as a precaution against rising sea levels made headlines in countless news outlets and social media posts. After the village suffered repeatedly from heavy floods and storms, the government of Fiji decided on this radical move, and in January 2014 all residents of Vunidogolo were relocated to higher ground. Vunidogolo is not alone. More than 650 communities all over Fiji are threatened by loss of coastal land and damage to infrastructure from sea level rise and storm surges, and more than 40 communities have already been identified for relocation within the next 10 years.1 The people Figure 12.1 Human demand already exceeds the planet’s capacities (Source: Global Footprint Network, 2013.) As overconsumption progressively overwhelms the capacity of planetary systems, risk to the world’s social and economic system as a whole is increasing to potentially catastrophic levels. Climate change, declining biodiversity and depleted water availability will lead to increasing disaster risks. While the HFA has recognized the role of climate change in driving risk, its interpretation has not allowed full recognition of the fact that those risks are not evenly shared. Increased inequality transfers and concentrates those risks in low-income households, territories and economies.	Page 1 Page 10 Page 20 Page 30 Page 40 Page 50 Page 60 Page 70 Page 80 Page 90 Page 100 Page 110 Page 120 Page 130 Page 140 Page 150 Page 160 Page 170 Page 180 Page 190 Page 200 Page 210 Page 220 Page 221 Page 222 Page 223 Page 224 Page 225 Page 226 Page 227 Page 228 Page 229 Page 230 Page 231 ->Page 232 Page 233 Page 234 Page 235 Page 236 Page 237 Page 238 Page 239 Page 240 Page 241 Page 242 Page 243 Page 244 Page 250 Page 260 Page 270 Page 280 Page 290 Page 300 Page 310