Abstract
Earth overshoot day marks the date when human resource consumption surpasses the capacity of ecosystems to regenerate. Globally this date is projected to fall on 30 July, showing we would need around 1.8 Earths to sustain current patterns of consumption in the long term. Aotearoa New Zealand's overshoot day for 2025 is 30 April, highlighting widespread unsustainable practices, especially compared to a country like Uruguay, whose overshoot day is 17 December.
While overshoot day is a vivid communication tool, it simplifies complex systems and doesn't fully capture issues like biodiversity loss and pollution other than that from carbon (CO2). Despite its limitations, the concept of overshoot is useful for raising awareness and guiding policy towards more ecologically sustainable and health promoting practices. Central and Local Government could advance a range of policies to minimize unsustainable resource use in NZ , including: those promoting renewable energy sources, sustainable transport, regenerative agriculture, and supporting predominantly plant-based diets. All of these measures have important co-benefits for population health.