"As resource constraints tighten globally, countries that depend heavily on ecological services from other nations may find that their resource supply becomes insecure and unreliable, and this has profound economic implications, " said Wackernagel.

UNESCO: OFFICE IN VENICE

Demand outstrips supply: In less the 50 years, the Mediterranean region nearly tripled its demands for ecological resources and services, and increased its ecological deficit by 230 percent.

UNESCO: OFFICE IN VENICE

Wealth and Footprint size: The higher the income of a country, the greater was its demand for ecological resources and services (and the higher its per capita consumption).

UNESCO: OFFICE IN VENICE

Biodiversity, which includes species, ecosystems, and ecological processes, is essential for the long-term maintenance of ecosystem services like photosynthesis, nutrient recycling, soil fertility, provision of fresh water, disaster prevention, and many others.

FORBES: Conservation International: Stemming the Tide of Environmental Crises, Part Five