Earth Overshoot Day 2025: Humanity Exhausts Nature's Annual Resources by July 24
On June 5, 2025—World Environment Day—the Global Footprint Network announced that Earth Overshoot Day will fall on July 24 this year. This marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources and services exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. In 2025, this means that in just under seven months, we will have consumed the planet's annual budget of resources, effectively operating in ecological deficit for the remainder of the year.
Understanding the Overshoot
Earth Overshoot Day is calculated by comparing humanity's ecological footprint—our consumption of resources like food, timber, and carbon emissions—with the Earth's biocapacity, the planet's ability to regenerate those resources. In 2025, humanity is using nature approximately 80 per cent faster than ecosystems can regenerate, equivalent to consuming the resources of 1.8 Earths. This over consumption leads to environmental degradation, including deforestation, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and more frequent extreme weather events.
Data Revisions and Earlier Date
The shift of Earth Overshoot Day to July 24—eight days earlier than in 2024—is primarily due to updated data and methodological changes. A significant factor was a downward revision of the ocean's carbon sequestration capacity, reflecting a reduced ability of oceans to absorb CO₂. Additionally, slight increases in per capita ecological footprint and decreases in per capita biocapacity contributed to the earlier date.
Global and National Perspectives
While Earth Overshoot Day represents a global average, individual countries reach their own overshoot days at different times, reflecting varying levels of resource consumption and ecological impact. For instance, in 2025, Ireland reached its national overshoot day on May 17th, indicating that if everyone lived like the average Irish person, humanity would need 2.6 Earths to sustain itself.
Moving the Date: A Call to Action
The Global Footprint Network emphasises that overshoot is not inevitable and can be addressed through concerted efforts to reduce ecological footprints. Strategies include transitioning to renewable energy sources, promoting sustainable agriculture, reducing waste, and implementing policies that encourage responsible consumption. Initiatives like the "Power of Possibility" campaign highlight actionable solutions to move the date of Earth Overshoot Day later in the year, aiming for a sustainable balance between consumption and Earth's regenerative capacity. Earth Overshoot Day 2025 serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address our unsustainable use of natural resources. By recognising the consequences of ecological overshoot and implementing strategies to reduce our footprint, we can work towards a future where humanity lives within the means of our planet.