Menu

Événement Journée mondiale

Switzerland Overshoot Day 2023

13 May 2023

Nature | Économie verte

ODD12 | ODD14 | ODD15

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. Find here tips and useful resources to help you taking steps to #MoveTheDate.

Earth Overshoot Day 2023

Each year, Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity has used all the biological resources that Earth can renew during the entire year. Earth Overshoot Day is hosted and calculated by Global Footprint Network, an international research organization that aims to provide information and solutions to live in the means of the planet.

In 2022, Earth Overshoot Day landed on 28 July. This means that humanity currently uses 75% more than what the planet’s ecosystems can regenerate. From Earth Overshoot Day until the end of the year, humanity operates on ecological deficit spending. The date falls one day earlier than last year, showing that humanity has continued to widen its annual ecological deficit. In 2020, the date was exceptionally pushed back by 24 days due to pandemic-induced resource-use reductions; however two years after, this progress was only temporary as the date of this year shows.

The Guess-the-date contest aims to foster a better understanding of what Earth Overshoot Day is all about and why solutions to #MoveTheDate are crucial to achieving sustainability, as defined by humanity’s ability to live within the means of our one planet. The date of Earth Overshoot Day 2023, as well as the winner of the contest, will be announced on 5 June on World Environment Day.

More about the contest

Switzerland Overshoot Day 2023

A Country Overshoot Day reflects the ecological footprint of a country by comparing the population’s demand and the nation’s biocapacity.

Switzerland’s Overshoot Day 2023 falls on 13 May. From this date onwards, Switzerland will be living on credit at the expense of future generations. If the world’s population had the same lifestyle as Swiss citizens, the resources of 2.8 planets would be necessary to ensure its existence.

Swiss Deficit Day

By comparing the biocapacity of a country to its residents’ ecological footprint, the Global Footprint Network estimates that we can calculate how quickly the country’s biocapacity budget is spent by the country’s population.

The Swiss Deficit Day for 2023 was estimated to fall on 25 March. If the residents’ ecological footprint is bigger than the country’s biocapacity, the country demands more from nature than its own ecosystems can provide.

Switzerland Fact Sheet

Reduce your ecological footprint

Find more resources to reduce your own ecological footprint and learn more about sustainable consumption and production in our update on the topic.

Check out our resources

Latest News