China's average ecological footprint per capita may reach 2.9 global hectares in 2029. (Photo : www.conquerthewallmarathon.com)
Amid the fast-paced urbanization China is experiencing, the Beijing branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said that the country's average economic footprint per capita is expected to peak at 2.9 global hectares in 2029.
According to a report released by the WWF branch, if the government will adopt a green development plan, the statistic can be reached early and be potentially lowered to 2.7 global hectares per capita.
Measuring the amount resources used by humans and the waste they generate, the ecological footprint is also used to measure whether they outspace what their local ecological system can offer.
Meanwhile, a global hectare is a standardized measure of a piece of land that can produce resources and absorb waste, in terms of world average levels.
Currently, China is experiencing the fastest urbanization worldwide, the report added. A large 54.77 percent of its 1.3 billion people are living in urban areas, as of last year.
Moreover, urban residents accounted for over 80 percent of the country's national consumption in 2014, more than 100 percent higher than the 1980 fraction, which was 40 percent.
The per capita ecological footprint of these residents also stood 1.4 to 2.5 times higher than that of rural residents.
On a global context, the WWF's Living Planet Report 2014 indicated that the ecological footprint continued to post an upward trend, noting that what humans demand is more than 50 percent larger than what nature can provide.
Li Jin, WWF China's executive director of programs, said that a better choice for the country's development includes seeking sustainable urbanization by boosting green industries, green consumption and investment, and green production.
The report, which was released on Friday, was compiled jointly by the WWF and the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China.
