Ecologists: Germany has used up its natural resources for 2026

Germany will by Sunday have already used up the natural resources that should theoretically have lasted the country for the whole year, according to ecological researchers of the Global Footprint Network.

Assessing purely in mathematical terms, the organization annually calculates Earth Overshoot Day for individual countries as well as for the entire planet.

If everyone on Earth consumed as many natural resources and emitted as much CO2 as in Germany, the Earth's annual biocapacity would be exhausted within the first third of the year, the researchers said.

Germany consumes far too many resources, primarily through its high use of fossil fuels, according to the German Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND).

The main culprits are energy-intensive industrial sectors, the building sector, road transport and industrial livestock farming. The consequences of this trend have long been felt through droughts, heavy rainfall or increasing heat in cities, BUND said.

"Our current lifestyle and economic model are not sustainable," said BUND boss Olaf Bandt. "Instead of switching to renewables, we continue to rely on coal, oil and gas."

By contrast, electricity from solar and wind power, heat pumps and lightweight, compact and economical electric cars would create independence, planning security and climate protection, Bandt noted.

In 2025, Germany's Earth Overshoot Day fell on May 3, a week earlier than was calculated this year.

However, rather than signifying a less environmentally friendly lifestyle in the past 12 months, this was mainly due to updated data and changes in calculation methods, said the organization.

Earth Overshoot Day 2026, representing the date humanity's demand for ecological resources exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year, is expected to fall in late July, as in 2025.

The official global date will be announced by the Global Footprint Network on World Environment Day, which is annually marked on June 5.