nations need to maintain a low Ecological Footprint and maximise their biocapacity
in order to avoid getting into deficits and ecological overshoot. Overall, Costa Rica
has a biocapacity that is sufficiently large (1.6 gha per person, the same as for the
world’s biocapacity per person, according to the Global Footprint Network 2020) to
support its current Ecological Footprint, so that it is in a slight deficit (of À1.1
gha/person). This deficit is likely greater than the anticipated deficit for the study
area in the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor. The reason for this is that these are
producing households that grow crops and, thereby, their (arable farming) production activities should curtail their carbon Footprint, which is a substantial part of their
total Ecological Footprint. Nevertheless, more cows (pastoral farming) in the corridor could further contribute to methane release – although this waste product is not
specifically measured by the Ecological Footprint and biocapacity accounting at
present.
According to Lin et al. (2018, p 9), Earth’s ecological overshoot commenced in
the 1970s and continues to grow at an average rate of 0–4% per year. For Costa Rica,
as examined in the previous chapter (Chap. 5), ecological overshoot began in 1991,
some 20 years later. Ecological overshoot is indicative of the depletion and degradation of natural capital accompanied by an accumulation of wastes (in the atmosphere and elsewhere). Ecological overshoot can be seen through deforestation,
biodiversity loss, soil degradation, fisheries depletion, and climate change (Lin
et al. 2018).
This chapter revisits the findings from the previous chapter (Chap. 5) in an
overview and discussion of the current state of the study area in the Alexander
Skutch Biological Corridor compared to the national situation for Costa Rica.
Solutions are presented and considered in view of the fieldwork results. The lessons
learned from these solutions as well as stemming from the fieldwork are outlined and
scrutinised, including a sensitivity analysis. Finally, the fieldwork contributions
appear last in this chapter before the conclusions.
6.1 Results for the Corridor
From the previous chapter (Chap. 5), the following points can be gleaned:
• Demographics – mostly men in their mid-50s participated in the surveyinterviews in the corridor case study. The average participant resided on their
farm for over 25 years and were landowners. Their land was on average approximately 5 hectares in size, and they reported making
Footprint was calculated at the household level to be <1.5 global hectares. The
Ecological Footprint of participating households was on average almost 3.0
global hectares. These small-scale farmers scored highest on crop land as a land
type and consistently lowest for the components grazing land and fishing
grounds. The highest values were received on average for the consumption
82
6 Implications
in order to avoid getting into deficits and ecological overshoot. Overall, Costa Rica
has a biocapacity that is sufficiently large (1.6 gha per person, the same as for the
world’s biocapacity per person, according to the Global Footprint Network 2020) to
support its current Ecological Footprint, so that it is in a slight deficit (of À1.1
gha/person). This deficit is likely greater than the anticipated deficit for the study
area in the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor. The reason for this is that these are
producing households that grow crops and, thereby, their (arable farming) production activities should curtail their carbon Footprint, which is a substantial part of their
total Ecological Footprint. Nevertheless, more cows (pastoral farming) in the corridor could further contribute to methane release – although this waste product is not
specifically measured by the Ecological Footprint and biocapacity accounting at
present.
According to Lin et al. (2018, p 9), Earth’s ecological overshoot commenced in
the 1970s and continues to grow at an average rate of 0–4% per year. For Costa Rica,
as examined in the previous chapter (Chap. 5), ecological overshoot began in 1991,
some 20 years later. Ecological overshoot is indicative of the depletion and degradation of natural capital accompanied by an accumulation of wastes (in the atmosphere and elsewhere). Ecological overshoot can be seen through deforestation,
biodiversity loss, soil degradation, fisheries depletion, and climate change (Lin
et al. 2018).
This chapter revisits the findings from the previous chapter (Chap. 5) in an
overview and discussion of the current state of the study area in the Alexander
Skutch Biological Corridor compared to the national situation for Costa Rica.
Solutions are presented and considered in view of the fieldwork results. The lessons
learned from these solutions as well as stemming from the fieldwork are outlined and
scrutinised, including a sensitivity analysis. Finally, the fieldwork contributions
appear last in this chapter before the conclusions.
6.1 Results for the Corridor
From the previous chapter (Chap. 5), the following points can be gleaned:
• Demographics – mostly men in their mid-50s participated in the surveyinterviews in the corridor case study. The average participant resided on their
farm for over 25 years and were landowners. Their land was on average approximately 5 hectares in size, and they reported making
Footprint was calculated at the household level to be <1.5 global hectares. The
Ecological Footprint of participating households was on average almost 3.0
global hectares. These small-scale farmers scored highest on crop land as a land
type and consistently lowest for the components grazing land and fishing
grounds. The highest values were received on average for the consumption
82
6 Implications