Wackernagel

Dr. Mathis Wackernagel created the footprint concept in the early 1990s (with Bill Rees) to compare human demand against planetary or regional ecosystem regeneration. The carbon footprint portion has become the most popular variant. In 2003, he founded Global Footprint Network, a sustainability think-tank, making planetary constraints relevant to decision-making. Its largest engagement campaign is its annual Earth Overshoot Day. Mathis’s honors include the 2018 World Sustainability Award, the 2015 IAIA Global Environment Award, and the 2012 Blue Planet Prize.