huella ecológica
nounCEFR B2
What does “huella ecológica” mean in English?
ecological footprint
ecological footprint (the measure of human demand on natural ecosystems; reducir la huella ecológica)
Example sentences
Reducir la huella ecológica de nuestro modelo de consumo es uno de los imperativos más urgentes del siglo XXI.
Reducing the ecological footprint of our consumption model is one of the most urgent imperatives of the 21st century.
Algunas empresas publican informes anuales en los que calculan su huella ecológica y proponen medidas para compensarla.
Some companies publish annual reports in which they calculate their ecological footprint and propose measures to offset it.
How to use it
La huella ecológica (noun phrase, feminine) translates 'ecological footprint' — the measure of human demand on the natural environment expressed as the area of biologically productive land needed to sustain a given lifestyle. It is a compound noun: huella (footprint, trace) + ecológica (ecological). At B2 it is encountered in environmental journalism, sustainability policy, and climate education. Key collocations: reducir/calcular/medir la huella ecológica, la huella ecológica de X. Note: la huella de carbono (carbon footprint) is related but narrower — referring specifically to CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions.
Common mistake
La huella ecológica (total ecological footprint — land, water, biodiversity) vs la huella de carbono (carbon footprint — greenhouse gases only). These are related but distinct metrics. In formal writing, use the specific term; don't use them interchangeably.