Global hectare
Encyclopedia
The global hectare is a measurement of biocapacity
of the entire earth
- one global hectare is a measurement of the average biocapacity of all hectare
measurements of any biologically productive areas on the planet. If you take the sum of the world's biocapacity, then divide it by the number hectares on the Earth's surface, you get the biocapacity of one average earth hectare. When the term 'global hectare per person' is used, it refers to the amount of biologically productive land and water available per person on the planet. e.g. In 2005 there were 13.4 billion hectares of biologically productive land and water available and 6.5 billion people on the planet. This is an average of 2.1 global hectares per person. Since the world's population is growing rapidly, this number is rapidly decreasing.
a certain region of the earth can sustain with current technologies
and agricultural
methods. It can be used as a way of determining the relative carrying capacity of the earth
.
A given hectare of land may be measured in equivalent global hectares. For example, a hectare of lush area with high rainfall would be scale higher in global hectares than would a hectare of desert.
It can also be used to show that different foods might mean that the earth could support different populations (i.e. meat generally requires more land, water, and energy use to produce a certain amount of food, than the equivalent vegetable food, hence sustaining a meat-based diet would require a less populated planet.)
(icon; symbol ha) is a unit of area equal to 10000 square metres (11,959.9 sq yd) (a square 100 metres on each side, or, a square 328.08 feet on each side), 2.471 acre, 0.00386102 square miles, or one square hectometre
(100 metres squared).
Biocapacity
Biocapacity is the capacity of an area to provide resources and absorb wastes. When the area's ecological footprint exceeds its biocapacity, unsustainability occurs....
of the entire earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
- one global hectare is a measurement of the average biocapacity of all hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
measurements of any biologically productive areas on the planet. If you take the sum of the world's biocapacity, then divide it by the number hectares on the Earth's surface, you get the biocapacity of one average earth hectare. When the term 'global hectare per person' is used, it refers to the amount of biologically productive land and water available per person on the planet. e.g. In 2005 there were 13.4 billion hectares of biologically productive land and water available and 6.5 billion people on the planet. This is an average of 2.1 global hectares per person. Since the world's population is growing rapidly, this number is rapidly decreasing.
Applications
The global hectare is a useful measure of biocapacity, as it can convert things like human dietary requirements into a physical area, and this can be used to show how many peoplePeople
People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:* as the plural of person or a group of people People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:*...
a certain region of the earth can sustain with current technologies
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
and agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
methods. It can be used as a way of determining the relative carrying capacity of the earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
A given hectare of land may be measured in equivalent global hectares. For example, a hectare of lush area with high rainfall would be scale higher in global hectares than would a hectare of desert.
It can also be used to show that different foods might mean that the earth could support different populations (i.e. meat generally requires more land, water, and energy use to produce a certain amount of food, than the equivalent vegetable food, hence sustaining a meat-based diet would require a less populated planet.)
Hectare equivalents
The average global hectare would occupy the area of a standard hectare. A hectareHectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
(icon; symbol ha) is a unit of area equal to 10000 square metres (11,959.9 sq yd) (a square 100 metres on each side, or, a square 328.08 feet on each side), 2.471 acre, 0.00386102 square miles, or one square hectometre
Hectometre
A hectometre is a somewhat uncommonly used unit of length in the metric system, equal to one hundred metres. It derives from the Greek word "ekato", meaning "hundred". A regulation football or soccer field is approximately 1 hectometre in length.*For area the square hectometre is a common unit...
(100 metres squared).
External links
- What is a global hectare (gha)? - Ecological Budget UK