Chapter 10 looked at the distribution of well-being across time and the generations. This chapter examines the distribution in space rather than time, of components of the Impact Equation introduced in Chapter 4. That is, it breaks down the Impact Equation – a global condition of sustainability – to examine how both our demands on the biosphere and the biosphere’s supply are distributed geographically and among income groups.

On the demand side, there is significant variation in human activity (y), population (N) and efficiency in our engagement with the biosphere (α), both within and between countries. On the supply side, the stock of the biosphere (S) is spatially varied – there exists an inherent heterogeneity in ecosystems and natural resources throughout the world – and the intensity of depletion varies between and within countries and regions.