Asia-Pacific

US in top 10 most unsustainable countries

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-10-14 09:39

CANBERRA - A new report released on Thursday ranked the United States and Australia in the top 10 most unsustainable countries on the planet.

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The study, commissioned by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), measured the amount of natural resources needed to sustain a person's lifestyle, including energy, transport, food and infrastructure.

Australia ranked eighth in the study. The countries with a worse footprint than Australia are the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Denmark, Belgium, the United States, Estonia and Canada.

"The report looks at the ecological footprint of individuals and that's measured in the report in global hectares, which is a reflection of how much food, transport and urban infrastructure we require to live our lives," WWF spokesman Dermot O'Gorma told ABC News on Thursday, adding that every Australian person requires about seven hectares to live their current lifestyle.

While the report found the Earth has lost about a third of biodiversity since 1970, WWF also indicated Australia has a high rate of mammal extinction.

Australia has lost 18 native mammals in the past 200 years, according to University of New South Wales biology professor Mike Archer.