The south east of England would need an area the size of France to make the region's consumption of natural resources sustainable.
Economic development chiefs warn use of fossil fuel and raw materials is high enough for a land area 29 times the size of the region's eight counties, excluding London.
The South East England Development Agency (Seeda) recommends cutting use of these resources by three-quarters in the report, Taking Stock.
Graham Tubb, Seeda's head of sustainable development, described the findings as a "wake-up call".
He said: "It makes us aware of the fact that we are living beyond our means in terms of what we are consuming and what we are expecting the environment to put up with."
Annual consumption of fuel, metals, wood, paper and food equals 26 tonnes per person.
Brenda Pollack, of Friends of the Earth, said: "We drive too much, burn too much fossil fuel and create too much waste, which we throw away or burn."
Thursday December 04, 2003
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