The world is in dire need of sustainability, and Earth Overshoot Day serves as a stark reminder of the urgency. But Aotearoa New Zealand, in particular, has a challenging journey ahead of it. The national Overshoot Day is on the 30th of April, while Earth Overshoot Day is on the 24th of July this year, leaving ample room for improvement.

Aotearoa’s Environmental Debt

Aotearoa is currently amongst the worst-performing countries in terms of sustainability. Earth Overshoot Day highlights the country’s deepening ecological debt. “We should all be very concerned about this day, as it marks our sustainability, and Aotearoa is falling behind the rest of the world.” said Claire Insley, a media spokesperson. “There are many simple solutions to mitigate climate change and to live within our global budget, the most powerful of which is to switch to a plant-based diet. Our ancestors predominantly ate plants and so we need to return to the true paleo diet, to allow our children a future”

Comparing Overshoot Days

Only six years ago, Earth Overshoot Day was on the 29th of July, advancing by five days over the same period. New Zealand’s Overshoot Day was 6th May in 2019, and it has slipped further into overshoot, surpassing even Qatar, whose Overshoot Day has slipped by only 5 days. China’s Overshoot Day is 23rd May. We must consider why this disparity exists, particularly when compared to China—a country with 1.4 billion people and a significant industrial base that manufactures much of the world’s goods.

The Impact on Food Systems

Our per-capita consumption is a significant contributor to ecological degradation and climate instability. Aotearoa is disproportionately contributing to these issues, compared to the global average. This trajectory is unsustainable, and continued ecological overspending puts our food systems, infrastructure, and future at risk.

The Power of Plant-Based Diets

A shift towards plant-based diets has the potential to significantly reduce pressure on our ecosystems, free up land for rewilding, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and conserve water resources. The Poore Report (2018) from Oxford University shows that a plant-based diet can cut individual food-related carbon footprints by up to 73%. If Aotearoa moved towards more sustainable food systems, it could significantly reduce its own ecological overshoot, contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future.

Actions for Change

According to the Global Footprint Network, pushing the global Overshoot Day back by just five days per year would allow humanity to live within the planet’s means by 2050. Their Power of Possibility platform outlines real-world actions that can shift the date, including:

• Halving food waste globally could move Earth Overshoot Day by 13 days.
• Transitioning to renewable energy could shift it by 26 days.
• Reducing carbon emissions by 50% could move it by over 90 days.

These are not just numbers—they are choices. Choices we can make through policy, innovation, and lifestyle shifts that prioritize ecological health and intergenerational justice.