July 29 is the date everyone should mark in their diary in 2019.
That’s because it is Earth Overshoot Day, the day when humans will have used up a year’s worth of the planet’s natural resources, such as timber, fish, water, and minerals.
For the rest of the year, we will be drawing down on what will be available for future generations - using more than the Earth can naturally replenish in a 12-month period - and producing waste such as carbon dioxide emissions as we do so.
What is worrying is that Overshoot Day, calculated by non-profit organisation Global Footprint Network (GFN), has fallen earlier every year since the start of the 1970s.
Pictet Asset Management's research paints a similarly alarming picture. It shows that human activity, and the waste it generates, is leading to potentially irreversible changes to the planet’s ecosystem.
Our analysis, which is based on a bio-capacity measurement tool called the Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework, quantifies resource consumption and waste emissions across each of the 100-plus industries that make up the global economy.
Developed by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, the model assesses the state of the ecosystem along nine environmental dimensions – which include water use, land use and ozone depletion among others – to set the ecological “safe operating space” within which human activities should take place.
Already, four of those thresholds have been breached.
Take the biochemical flow of nitrogen and phosphorus for example.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are macronutrients that are used extensively in fertilisers. Intensive farming, industrial activity and population growth have increased the volume of macronutrients in rivers and oceans to dangerous levels, triggering excessive growth of algae.
This is a problem because algae deplete oxygen in water, killing aquatic plants and fish in a process called eutrophication. Scientists estimate that sea areas with zero oxygen, or “dead zones”, have quadrupled since 1950s, threatening marine ecosystems around the world1.
Our industry level analysis shows biochemical waste is being released at a rate that is 40 per cent more than the environment can handle.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom.
There are signs that efforts to stop environmental damage – be it policy measures or new innovative technologies to address ecological degradation – are starting to pay off.
According to GFN, throughout the 1970s to 2014, Overshoot Day fell earlier each year by an average of three days. Since then, however, the pace has slowed to less than a day per year.
Our model also gives reason for optimism. It shows that some of the industries serving forestry and other environmental sectors are managing to reduce the amount of biochemical waste they produce, aided by innovative technologies in areas such as pollution-control.
These companies play an important role in helping us pay our environmental "debt" and live within our means.
The PB-LCA framework is used in the construction of our Pictet-Global Environmental Opportunities (GEO) portfolio.
Stocks in GEO have a significantly lower biochemical footprint than those represented in the MSCI All-Country World equity index.
Here's how Pictet-Global Environmental Opportunities strategy works:
This marketing material is issued by Pictet Asset Management (Europe) S.A.. It is neither directed to, nor intended for distribution or use by, any person or entity who is a citizen or resident of, or domiciled or located in, any locality, state, country or jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, availability or use would be contrary to law or regulation. The latest version of the fund‘s prospectus, Pre-Contractual Template (PCT) when applicable, Key Investor Information Document (KIID), annual and semi-annual reports must be read before investing. They are available free of charge in English on www.assetmanagement.pictet or in paper copy at Pictet Asset Management (Europe) S.A., 15 avenue J.F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, or at the office of the fund local agent, distributor or centralizing agent if any. The KIID is also available in the local language of each country where the compartment is registered. The prospectus, the PCT when applicable, and the annual and semi-annual reports may also be available in other languages, please refer to the website for other available languages. Only the latest version of these documents may be relied upon as the basis for investment decisions.
The summary of investor rights (in English and in the different languages of our website) is available here and at www.assetmanagement.pictet under the heading "Resources", at the bottom of the page.
The list of countries where the fund is registered can be obtained at all times from Pictet Asset Management (Europe) S.A., which may decide to terminate the arrangements made for the marketing of the fund or compartments of the fund in any given country.
The information and data presented in this document are not to be considered as an offer or solicitation to buy, sell or subscribe to any securities or financial instruments or services.
Information, opinions and estimates contained in this document reflect a judgment at the original date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Pictet Asset Management (Europe) S.A. has not taken any steps to ensure that the securities referred to in this document are suitable for any particular investor and this document is not to be relied upon in substitution for the exercise of independent judgment. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each investor and may be subject to change in the future. Before making any investment decision, investors are recommended to ascertain if this investment is suitable for them in light of their financial knowledge and experience, investment goals and financial situation, or to obtain specific advice from an industry professional.
The value and income of any of the securities or financial instruments mentioned in this document may fall as well as rise and, as a consequence, investors may receive back less than originally invested.
The investment guidelines are internal guidelines which are subject to change at any time and without any notice within the limits of the fund's prospectus.
The mentioned financial instruments are provided for illustrative purposes only and shall not be considered as a direct offering, investment recommendation or investment advice. Reference to a specific security is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Effective allocations are subject to change and may have changed since the date of the marketing material.
Past performance is not a guarantee or a reliable indicator of future performance. Performance data does not include the commissions and fees charged at the time of subscribing for or redeeming shares.
Any index data referenced herein remains the property of the Data Vendor. Data Vendor Disclaimers are available on assetmanagement.pictet in the “Resources” section of the footer.
This document is a marketing communication issued by Pictet Asset Management and is not in scope for any MiFID II/MiFIR requirements specifically related to investment research. This material does not contain sufficient information to support an investment decision and it should not be relied upon by you in evaluating the merits of investing in any products or services offered or distributed by Pictet Asset Management.
Pictet AM has not acquired any rights or license to reproduce the trademarks, logos or images set out in this document except that it holds the rights to use any entity of the Pictet group trademarks. For illustrative purposes only.