ABSTRACT
The ecological footprint is an environmental accounting tool that assesses the strain of human
activities on natural resources. The present work applies this indicator on a small scale,
namely the scale of urbanization, considering material consumption, energy, and land use.
This work considers three Algerian coastal wilayas (Algiers, Tipaza, and Tlemcen), aiming to
estimate the impact associated with the construction activity and quantify the extent of the
required surface to mitigate this impact.
the objective is reflected in several sections: an urban metabolism analysis, a life cycle
analysis of specific products, and a calculation of the equivalent ecological footprint. This
measure is also compared to the biocapacity of each wilaya.
This study has shown that the ecological footprint is primarily an informative tool, providing
an overview that could guide the policy development of activities such as urbanization.
However, it should be based on accurate data and supported by further analysis.
Keywords
Ecological Footprint - Biocapacity - Urban metabolism – Life Cycle Assessment -
Greenhouse gases - Algiers - Tipaza - Tlemcen