China's ecological footprint expected to peak in 2029: report

The average ecological footprint per capita in China is expected to peak at 2.9 global hectares in 2029 amid fast-paced urbanization, according to a report released on Friday.

The report, released by the Beijing branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), noted the ecological footprint could reach its peak three years early if the country adopts a green development path, potentially lowering it to 2.7 global hectares per capita.

An ecological footprint measures the amount of resources humans use and the waste they generate. It is used to gauge whether they are outpacing what their local ecological system can provide.

A global hectare is a standardized hectare of land able to produce resources and absorb waste at world average levels.

China is experiencing the fastest urbanization in the world, with 54.77 percent of its 1.3 billion people living in urban areas in 2014, according to the report.

Consumption by urban residents accounted for more than 80 percent of the national total last year, compared to 40 percent in 1980, it said. The per capita ecological footprint of urban residents is 1.4 to 2.5 times higher than that of rural residents.

The WWF's Living Planet Report 2014 said the ecological footprint was continuing its upward climb and that humanity's demand on the planet is more than 50 percent larger than what nature can renew.

Seeking sustainable urbanization by promoting development of green industries, green production, green consumption and investment could be a better choice for China's development, said Li Lin, executive director of programs with WWF China.

Friday's report was jointly compiled by the WWF and the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China. Endi