Alarmed by Living Planet Report

A report recently released by the World Wildlife Federation in collaboration with the Global Footprint Network and the Zoological Society of London relates the Living Planet Index, a measure of the health of the world's biodiversity, to the Ecological Footprint, a measure of human demand on the Earth's natural resources. What is revealed in the new report--the Living Planet Report--is not pretty. Humanity is now using resources and producing carbon dioxide at a rate 50 percent faster than the Earth can sustain. The report details alarming biodiversity declines along with a rapid escalation of human demand that is far outstripping nature's regenerative capacity. The Ecological Footprint tracks human demand on ecological services against nature's regenerative capacity (biocapacity).

The most recent figures show that in 2007, the most recent year for which data is available, humanity used the equivalent of 1.5 planets to support its activities. Even with modest United Nations projections for population growth, consumption and climate change, by 2030 humanity will need the capacity of two Earths to absorb carbon dioxide waste and keep up with natural resource consumption. Carbon is a major culprit in driving the planet to ecological overdraft. An alarming 11-fold increase in our carbon footprint over the last 50 years means carbon now accounts for more than half the global Ecological Footprint.

How should the lodging industry respond? There are no easy answers but recognizing that a problem exists would be a good start--at the top of our industry's leading associations and companies. Too many inefficient buildings are still being built. Shouldn't all new construction be required to at least meet LEED standards? There are also far too many inefficient buildings in our industry's portfolio--properties that should have been retired long ago. Let's face it, nobody is going to say it's time we stop traveling so much. So, our best solution is to build super-efficient structures, and retrofit or condemn those buildings that are not efficient. We have the talent. We have the technology. Do we have the will? Your thoughts?

Click here to access the Living Planet Report.