The Ecological Footprint is a resource accounting tool that measures the amount of the Earth׳s regenerative capacity (or “biocapacity”) demanded by a given activity. Many human activities place demands on the planet׳s regenerative capacity, including the provision and processing of food, the construction and maintenance of housing, transportation, and the consumption of goods and services. [...] By comparing the amount of capacity demanded with the amount of capacity available, Ecological Footprint accounting can measure, year by year, the extent to which human demands on the biosphere exceed the biosphere׳s capacity to meet those demands.[Mathis Wackernagel, David Lin, Laurel Hanscom, Alessandro Galli, Katsunori Iha, 'Ecological Footprint', ed. Brian Fath, Encyclopedia of Ecology (Second Edition), Elsevier, 2019, pp. 270-282] The effect that a person, company, activity, etc. has on the environment, for example the amount of natural resources that they use and the amount of harmful gases that they produce [Cambridge Business English Dictionary, CUP]