Chapter 1
Introduction
Abstract This chapter conveys the conceptual and theoretical frameworks for the
research. This includes intersecting literature on sustainability metrics (such as
Ecological Footprint and biocapacity accounting), systems theory, and sustainability. The brief aims are centred around literature searches approached from a critical
perspective to help inform the application and contribution of Ecological Footprint
and biocapacity accounting as a sustainability metric. Therefore, in this chapter are
criticisms directed at the National Footprint Accounts that are relevant to the
Footprint Calculator. The focus here is on scale, aggregation, and data quality,
including consideration of quality scores.
Keywords Sustainability · Natural/Social capital · Ecological Footprint and
biocapacity accounting · National Footprint accounts · Footprint Calculator · Quality
assurance · Quality scores · Criticisms · Issue themes · (Spatial) scale · Aggregation ·
Data quality
This chapter conveys the theoretical and conceptual frameworks for the research.
This includes intersecting literature on sustainability metrics (such as Ecological
Footprint and biocapacity accounting), systems theory, and sustainability. The brief
aims centred around literature searches approached from a critical perspective to
help inform the application and contribution of Ecological Footprint and biocapacity
accounting as a sustainability metric.
Ecological Footprint and biocapacity accounting is intricate and requires time to
understand the meaning of its concepts and overarching methodology, with its
equations, constants, and idiosyncrasies. It has been heavily criticised in the academic literature, and this will be the basis of the critical approach adopted in this
brief. This introductory chapter lays out the theoretical framework and rationale
necessary to understand and justify the need for the Ecological Footprint and
biocapacity as a sustainability metric. To begin, however, it is necessary to provide
an overview of this system of biophysical accounts and give the reader the necessary
background needed to both frame its application as well as its development since the
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. J. Thornbush, The Ecological Footprint as a Sustainability Metric,
SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62666-2_1
1
Introduction
Abstract This chapter conveys the conceptual and theoretical frameworks for the
research. This includes intersecting literature on sustainability metrics (such as
Ecological Footprint and biocapacity accounting), systems theory, and sustainability. The brief aims are centred around literature searches approached from a critical
perspective to help inform the application and contribution of Ecological Footprint
and biocapacity accounting as a sustainability metric. Therefore, in this chapter are
criticisms directed at the National Footprint Accounts that are relevant to the
Footprint Calculator. The focus here is on scale, aggregation, and data quality,
including consideration of quality scores.
Keywords Sustainability · Natural/Social capital · Ecological Footprint and
biocapacity accounting · National Footprint accounts · Footprint Calculator · Quality
assurance · Quality scores · Criticisms · Issue themes · (Spatial) scale · Aggregation ·
Data quality
This chapter conveys the theoretical and conceptual frameworks for the research.
This includes intersecting literature on sustainability metrics (such as Ecological
Footprint and biocapacity accounting), systems theory, and sustainability. The brief
aims centred around literature searches approached from a critical perspective to
help inform the application and contribution of Ecological Footprint and biocapacity
accounting as a sustainability metric.
Ecological Footprint and biocapacity accounting is intricate and requires time to
understand the meaning of its concepts and overarching methodology, with its
equations, constants, and idiosyncrasies. It has been heavily criticised in the academic literature, and this will be the basis of the critical approach adopted in this
brief. This introductory chapter lays out the theoretical framework and rationale
necessary to understand and justify the need for the Ecological Footprint and
biocapacity as a sustainability metric. To begin, however, it is necessary to provide
an overview of this system of biophysical accounts and give the reader the necessary
background needed to both frame its application as well as its development since the
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. J. Thornbush, The Ecological Footprint as a Sustainability Metric,
SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62666-2_1
1