Study of Ecological Capital with EF Index: Case Study, Iran

  Study of Ecological Capital with EF Index: Case Study, Iran   M. H. Saraei. ( * ),  Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Planning, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.   Email: msaraei@yazduni.ac.ir     A. Zareei.   M. A. student of Geography and Urban Planning, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.   Received: 21 Desember 2009 / Accepted: 13 October 2010, 27-29 P     Extended Abstract   1- Introduction   The Ecological Footprint (EF) is an impact assessment tool of human on nature. This index, measures population requires to absorb wastes.   The ecological footprint provides a comprehensive comparison of natural resources demand. The EF compares the actual geographic area or footprint of a region (e.g., city, country, etc.) with the virtual footprint that would be required for that region to be sustaining Region.   The management of natural capital including its ability to renew itself represents a core aspect of sustainability. The ecological footprint is now a widely accepted indicator of sustainable development.     With the Ecological Footprint, countries, cities or organizations can assess their sustainability performance. Many EF estimations have been performed on global, national and sub-national levels.   Reducing the Ecological Footprint of a population or an organization fundamentally relate to changes of behavior. A reduction in the Ecological Footprint of a particular activity or person may be achieved through. Changes in several cases, such as, consumed resources waste materials type of consumed food.   These footprints variations is caused by between countries in different stages of economic development and geographic characteristics .     2- Methodology   Generally, two complementary approaches have to calculate EF: deduction methods.   - In the deduction method, which developed by Wackernagel and Rees, the EF calculates using a consumption-land use matrix consisting five major consumption categories and six major land use categories. Consumption categories include food, housing, transportation, consumer goods, services, and wastes. Land use categories extracted from human economy activities include cropland and pasture land (for production of food and goods), built-up land (to support infrastructure), forest (for the production of wood products), sea land (food production), and Energy land.   - In the reduction-based method, the EF values calculate for certain activities using appropriated data for each considered regions. The land categories originally proposed by Wackernagel and Rees .   In the studies global/national levels usually applied compound deduction methodology, whereas in the municipal, household, and individual levels studies have been applied a component-based reduction approach .     3- Discussion   In this study, have been assessed Iran ecological capitals consume for years of 1357 until 1380. In this study have been used five agents: energy land, sea land, built-up land, crop land and pasture land. With increase of the population country in 23 recent years (1977-2000), population reached to 68/9 million in 2000. Therefore capital consumes of country has been increased 2000.   The bio capacity of Iran is 0.8 ha per capita in 2000 year. Whereas capital consumes was equal with 2.38 ha. So capital consumes of Iran is about three fold bio capacities. Therefore were determined consume of Iran.     4- Conclusion   Total Ecological Footprint for the Iran population was increased after 1977 year quantity was in 2000 with 2.38 ha. And so few quantity is in 1978 with 1.55ha that highest. Therefore with lasting time, population growth and increasing demand in social, the Ecological Footprint quantity of Iran has been increased.   In this study, was survied Iran Ecological capital after the Islamic revolution until 2000. 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