Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprints for MEDCs are generally greater than LEDCs due to greater industrialisation, greater wealth leading to more consumerism and a ready access to motorized transport. Some people believe that MEDCs should assist emerging economies to manage their carbon footprint.

A carbon footprint is the term used to measure human impact on the natural environment.

It works by calculating the greenhouse gasses that we produce in our activities and has the units of kilograms of carbon dioxide per person. The carbon footprint of individuals vary considerably, some people make a big effort to reduce their carbon footprint for example, by using less energy, buying fewer consumer goods and using their motor vehicles less. In the UK, the average is about 10,000 kg of carbon dioxide per person but worldwide, the average is 4,000 kg of carbon dioxide per person.

The global search to satisfy the increasing demand for food can have positive and negative repercussions. Larger carbon footprints are one of the negative aspects due to the increasing number of 'food miles' traveled. In LEDCS, food production is usually local, often families grow their own. Transport is by hand and consequently has little impact on the carbon footprint of a nation.

As a country develops, the local production of food is less common, farmers seek new markets further afield in order to increase profits. Shops, particularly supermarkets, import foods from countries on the other side of the globe. Every mile that non-locally produced food travels requires transport, transport uses fossil fuels which releases greenhouse gasses into the air. The greater the number of food miles, the greater the carbon footprint.