NGO calculations: Switzerland reaches “Earth Overshoot Day” in May

If everyone lived like the Helvetii, it would take 2.5 Earths. In recent years, Switzerland has exhausted all the natural resources that the planet can regenerate in one year in May, according to calculations by the American NGO Global Footprint Network.

In 2024, “Earth Overshoot Day” was reached in Switzerland on May 27. In 2023 and 2022, this day fell on May 13. It was May 11 in 2021 and May 7 in 2020.

At the global level, humanity has been living on credit in 2024 since August 1st. Last year, it would have mathematically taken 1.75 Earths to cover needs. In the 1970s, Earth Overshoot Day took place in December.

According to the Global Footprint Network, in 2024, Qatar was the first country to reach its Overshoot Day, February 11, followed by Luxembourg (February 20). The United Arab Emirates (March 4) and Kuwait (March 5) then followed suit.

Conversely, Kyrgyzstan was the last country to exhaust its resources, on December 30. Four other countries’ “Overshoot Day” fell in December: Moldova (28), Guinea (27), Morocco (22) and French Guiana (22).

Validated method

A country’s “Overshoot Day” reflects that country’s ecological footprint by relating population demand to the nation’s biocapacity. The Global Footprint Network, which has an office in Geneva among others, analyzes this ecological footprint in most states.

Its method is validated by the federal offices of statistics (FSO), territorial development (ARE) and environment (FOEN), as well as by the Directorate for Cooperation and Development (SDC).