Data generated by researchers at shows 2023 to be a record-breaking year for humanity’s Ecological Footprint, which is predicted to exceed what the Earth can regenerate this year by tomorrow (August 1) – . 

All components of the Ecological Footprint – cropland, grazing land, fish harvests, built-up land, forest products, and carbon emissions – were larger than ever before.

The annual Overshoot Day prediction, based on data produced out of 91ŃÇɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, continues to worsen.

“Earth Overshoot Day highlights excess consumption that needs to be reduced. It can also measure the significance of actions such as carbon pricing and reducing food waste,” says Eric Miller, director of the Ecological Footprint Initiative in 91ŃÇɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. “Humanity needs to reduce its Ecological Footprint by 2.1 per cent annually, every year from now until 2050 to end overshoot. Ending overshoot is necessary to reach net zero emissions.”

The Ecological Footprint is calculated as the area occupied by settlements, plus the land used for agriculture, the waters used for capturing or culturing fish, the area of harvested forests, and the area of unharvested forests that would be needed to absorb humanity’s carbon emissions. Researchers also measured the biocapacity of lands and waters within all countries. Calculations integrated tens of millions of data points from international data sources.

Humanity needs to reduce its Ecological Footprint by 2.1 per cent annually, every year from now until 2050 to end overshoot.

Eric Miller

Canada is one of . More than 9,000 companies, 1,000 cities, 1,000 educational institutions, and 600 financial institutions have joined the  to reduce emissions.

Net zero emissions can be achieved by reducing greenhouse gasses to the point at which their annual total can be sequestered by ecosystems within the same year. Ecosystems can only do this if they are not being used for other purposes, such as housing people, supporting infrastructure or being harvested. A comprehensive accounting of these different uses and capacities of lands and waters is provided by National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts. This accounting is necessary for effective policy and legislation around the world.

“Our dataset is the most comprehensive and recent measure of what’s necessary for sustainability,” says Miller, who leads a team of researchers and graduate students to produce theĚýĚýfor theĚý, a Canadian not-for-profit organization.

Quick facts

Mississauga and Toronto:

• 56 times the area of Mississauga was needed to support Mississauga’s Ecological Footprint.
• Toronto’s average per-person Ecological Footprint was lower than the Ontario average.

Ontario compared to the Canadian average:

• Ontario’s Ecological Footprint and biocapacity were measured in 2020 from 2005-2015.
• Ontario’s Ecological Footprint declined between 2005 to 2015, resulting from the end of coal-fired generation and changing diets in Ontario. The province’s Ecological Footprint declined to 11 per cent below the Canadian average, from a prior high of 14 per cent more than the average.
• Cropland in Ontario yielded almost twice as much than average cropland in Canada, and with yields above the world-average in 2015.

Ontario’s greenbelt:

• Ontario’s greenbelt provided an average of twice the level of biocapacity per hectare as other lands in Ontario. Most of this biocapacity was provided by cropland in the greenbelt.
• Ontario’s greenbelt yielded crops that could satisfy the total needs of 2.2 million Ontarians.

Canada compared to the rest of the world:

• An average consumer in Canada had an Ecological Footprint of 7.4 global hectare (gha). This was about the same as the United States average, higher than the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development country average of 5.6gha, and much higher than the global human average of 2.6gha. More than half of Canada’s Ecological Footprint comes from burning fuels, followed by high consumption of forest products.
• More than four per cent of global biocapacity existed within Canada, ranked fifth highest in the world.
• Each dollar of Canadian exports required twice as much Ecological Footprint for its production than each dollar of imports. Canada exported footprint-intensive timber products, grains and edible oils, fuels and minerals.

91ŃÇÉ«:

• 91ŃÇÉ« measures its Ecological Footprint and biocapacity and greenhouse gas emissions. Data published in 2023 shows that 91ŃÇɫ’s campuses in Toronto and Costa Rica provide one per cent of the land area needed to support its Ecological Footprint.
• 91ŃÇɫ’s emissions have trended below the Canadian university sectoral average.
• 91ŃÇÉ« aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

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A project involving 91ŃÇÉ«, 3M and Polar Bears International presents field research deploying the first-ever fur tracking tags on polar bears, a less invasive method advancing wildlife research and coexistence; the report publishes on Arctic Sea Ice Day

TORONTO, July 15, 2024 – Studying polar bears just became a lot easier with new “burr on fur” trackers which confirmed scientists’ belief that subadult and adult males spend most of their time on land lazing around, conserving energy until the ice returns.

A multi-institutional research team led by 91ŃÇÉ« and including the University of Alberta, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Manitoba Sustainable Development, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Polar Bears International, used three different “burr on fur” prototypes to study their effectiveness.

The paper, “,” published in the journal Animal Biotelemetry, details the first peer-reviewed examination of these new tracking devices that adhere to the fur of polar bears.

Studying polar bears is a difficult feat with current radio collars only suitable to be used on female bears leaving out a swath of the population, but new technology is providing researchers with a new tool which has confirmed the behaviour of adult male polar bears while on land waiting for the ice to form again.

Efforts to develop less-invasive tracking options and tools that could work on polar bears of both sexes and nearly all ages have been ongoing for years with varying success. Collars have been and remain the primary means of studying polar bear movements. More recently, ear tag transmitters have been used as a lighter-weight alternative. While both technologies serve an important role in helping study and conserve polar bears, researchers continually strive to develop methods that are both minimally invasive and provide quality data.

This led to a new tracking initiative known as “Burr on Fur,” which began as a challenge from Polar Bears International to 3M scientists, the global science and manufacturing company behind Post-It notes, to create a temporary, simple method for affixing small tracking units to polar bear fur. Three “Burr on Fur” prototypes were recently tested on wild polar bears along the coast of Hudson Bay, Canada, alongside traditional ear tag transmitters.   

The shortcomings with traditional tracking methods: The ear tag and â€śBurr on Fur” devices fill an important niche for scientists and wildlife managers. The new tags allow researchers to follow the movements of adult male and subadult polar bears, two groups that can’t be studied using traditional satellite collars. Adult males can’t wear collars because they slip off their cone-shaped necks and heads, and subadult bears grow too rapidly for safe collar use. Traditional ear tags are an alternative to collars. However, they currently require recapture to remove and, although rare, can pose a risk of injury to the ear. The new Burr on Fur tags are designed to be temporary, minimally invasive, and can be applied to both sexes and nearly all ages of polar bears.

“Successfully attaching telemetry tags to polar bear fur has never been done before, and we’re excited to share the results of this innovative work,” said Tyler Ross, lead author of the paper and a researcher at 91ŃÇÉ«'s Faculty of Science. “The fur tags showed great promise and give researchers the ability to study the behaviors and movements of polar bears that we have very little data on, like subadult and adult male bears.”

The study: 58 wild bears were tagged using ear tags and three distinct fur tag designs to compare both the duration of time the tags remained active while attached to the bears and the accuracy of the trackers. Applied alongside a traditional ear tag, which relied on an Argos Transmitter, the three fur tags were:

• The Pentagon Tag: this five-sided device included five holes punched into its corners, allowing tufts of fur to be pulled through. It utilized an Argos Eartag Satellite Transmitter.
• The SeaTrkr Tag: an oval-shaped tag that had 10 holes punched to allow 10 fur-tuft attachments. This design used an Iridium-linked Telonics GPS SeaTrkr-4370 transmitter.
• The Tribrush Tag: a triangle tag outfitted with tubes along its borders, through which pipe brushes ensnared the fur, twisting it inside the tubes. This tag used the same Argos transmitter as the Pentagon tags.

The research took place from autumn 2016 to 2021 with bears handled near Churchill, Canada, by the Polar Bear Alert Program and researchers at the University of Alberta, supplemented with operations by researchers at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 91ŃÇÉ«, and Manitoba Sustainable Development in 2021-22 near the Manitoba-Ontario border.

“Our results are an important step in better understanding the movements and behavior of polar bears, especially adult male bears, which are difficult to track because they can’t be fitted with satellite collars. Temporary, fur-mounted tags could also help track the movements of bears relocated after potentially coming into conflict with people, making these tags an important tool for conserving polar bears and keeping northern communities safe,” says 91ŃÇÉ« Associate Professor and Sustainable Environmental Management Coordinator of the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change and the report’s co-author.

Results: The top-performing fur tag was the SeaTrkr Tag, which remained attached to the bears for an average of 58 days and had superior accuracy due to its use of GPS/Iridium technology. In second place, the Tribrush Tags remained attached for an average of 47 days. However, for the Tribrush Tag, the times varied widely, with one falling off after only two days while another lasted 114 days – the longest of all the tags.

Because they are permanently attached to the bears’ ears, the traditional ear tags remained in place for 137 days on average, while the shorter-term fur-based trackers proved to be reliable for shorter periods. The fur tags proved useful for monitoring bear behavior, and show great promise for future use in tracking polar bears, especially those that must be relocated after approaching too close to communities. Further testing and refinement are also being conducted on bears in zoos and aquariums through zoo and aquarium partners, allowing researchers to further refine the designs and see how they perform throughout different seasons. In the most recent round of zoo testing, a refined tag stayed on a bear for 75 days.

Important Data about Male and Subadult Polar Bears: The new data adds to our growing understanding of subadult and adult male polar bear movements and behaviors, which have been historically understudied because they cannot be safely collared for long periods. Findings confirm that adult and subadult male bears reduce their activity while on land, consistent with prior studies that showed bears spent approximately 70 to 90 per cent of their time resting during the ice-free period in Hudson Bay.     

Implications: While the ear tags remained attached to the bears longer, the temporary and easily affixed fur tags give scientists a new tool for enhanced tracking of bears for purposes of both applied research and managing human-bear interactions. The tracking tech could be applied to other types of bears, supporting efforts to reduce human-bear conflict, and future applications could include testing on other species with fur. While traditional tracking methods, such as collars, will remain critical for longer-term studies, the fur tags will prove a as the climate warms. 

“The collaboration between Polar Bears International, 3M, academic institutions, and governmental partners is a testament to our commitment to improving Arctic wildlife research and conservation technology,” says Geoff 91ŃÇÉ«, Senior Director of Research and Policy at Polar Bears International, adding, “These advancements will have tangible implications for wildlife management, aiding in tracking polar bears and promoting improved human-bear coexistence. We’re eager to further refine and deploy this pivotal technology.” 

About Arctic Sea Ice Day: These findings publish on July 15, which is , an annual event created by Polar Bears International to spark actions and conversations about the rapidly melting Arctic ecosystem, including its global significance and how people can help slow this warming trend. The Arctic is now warming nearly than the rest of the planet, causing the sea ice to melt, which causes polar bears to spend longer periods fasting on land.

Polar Bears International invites people to access the full report and urges the scientific community to consider the implications of these findings for further research and application in conservation and coexistence efforts.

About 91ŃÇÉ«

91ŃÇÉ« is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91ŃÇÉ«'s fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91ŃÇɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91ŃÇÉ« Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

About 3M

3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what's possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we're working to improve lives and make what's next at . 

About Polar Bears International

Polar Bears International’s mission is to conserve polar bears and the sea ice they depend on. We also work to inspire people to care about the Arctic, the threats to its future, and the connection between this fragile ecosystem and our global climate. Polar Bears International is the only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to wild polar bears and Arctic sea ice, and its staff includes scientists who study wild polar bears. The organization is a recognized leader in polar bear conservation. For more information, visit .

Media Contacts

Annie Edwards, for Polar Bears International, +44 07307 139782, annie@fabricmedia.net

Melissa Hourigan, for Polar Bears International, +1 720-608-1919, melissa@fabricmedia.net

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TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2020 – As of today, 91ŃÇÉ« has a new and dynamic Faculty – the (EUC) – ready to take up the challenges of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and increased urbanization, and their impact on people and the planet.

The new Faculty builds on existing academic and to become a leader in tackling environmental and social issues, and the climate crisis by bringing together the Faculty of Environmental Studies and the Department of Geography.

EUC will prepare to take on some of the most difficult challenges in the world today and empower them to be changemakers for a sustainable and just future.

“The new Faculty of Environment and Urban Change will position 91ŃÇÉ« as a higher education leader in sustainability, environmental issues and the challenges that arise from intense urbanization,” says President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton. “Through creative programming, critical research and collaborative community engagement, this new Faculty will create solutions for a more just and equitable world.”

The creation of EUC is a response to dramatic environmental changes brought about by human activities, rising temperatures, extreme weather events, air pollution, habitat depletion, and species extinction, and the need to prepare students for these challenges. EUC will bring together scholars, artists and scientists whose innovative, real-world research looks at how these issues impact the planet and its most vulnerable citizens, and what needs to be done.

“Our new Faculty has been created as a call to action to respond to the most pressing challenges facing people and the planet,” says Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change Dean Alice Hovorka. “As a community, we are steadfast in the belief that making positive change requires bold and diverse thinking, ambitious action, and community engagement.”

Watch the videos:

• Dean Hovorka talks about the new Faculty –
• Change is coming –

Students will also be able to learn first-hand about environmental challenges and be part of creative problem-solving in Costa Rica at the University’s Las Nubes EcoCampus.

Through interdisciplinary thinking, experiential learning, global perspectives, and new undergraduate academic programming, available for fall 2021 admission, students will be ready to choose a wide-range of diverse career paths, including energy analysts, waste management specialists, environmental lawyers, outreach educators, policy and economic developers, wildlife biologists, natural-resource conservationists, urban planners and more.

New academic will include:

• Environmental Arts & Justice – addresses global environmental challenges through political, philosophical, artistic, cultural and educational theory and practice.
• Environmental Science (with the Faculty of Science) – examines how climate change, population growth, biophysical contaminants and extreme weather events are straining ecosystems and lives.
• Global Geography – explores complex relationships between humans and the physical world, how populations move and change, and how the expansion of cities has shifted political power dynamics and changed landscapes.
• Sustainable Environmental Management – looks at current global environmental challenges and how to build solutions for a better future using science, law, policy and economic approaches to managing and conserving natural resources.
• Urban Studies – examines global urbanization, urban life and the relationship that cities have with other spaces and nature.

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91ŃÇÉ« champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91ŃÇÉ« students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91ŃÇÉ« U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91ŃÇÉ« is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni. 91ŃÇÉ« U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91ŃÇÉ« Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

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