What is Biocapacity?The capacity of ecosystems to produce useful biological materials and to absorb waste materials generated by humans, using current management schemes and extraction technologies.
Biocapacity deficitThe difference between the biocapacity and Ecological Footprint of a region or country. A biocapacity deficit occurs when the Footprint of a population exceeds the biocapacity of the area available to that population.
Conversely, a biocapacity remainder exists when the biocapacity of a region exceeds its population’s Footprint. If there is a regional or national biocapacity deficit, it means that the region is importing biocapacity through trade or liquidating regional ecological assets.
In contrast, the global biocapacity deficit cannot be compensated through trade, and is therefore equal to overshoot.