Glossary definitions

Primary energy sources take many forms, including nuclear energy, fossil energy -like oil, coal and natural gas- and renewable sources like wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower. These primary sources are converted to electricity, a secondary energy source.

The positive effect resulting from an activity or program on environmental service flows.

Naturally occurring living and non-living entities of the Earth, together comprising the bio-physical environment, that jointly deliver ecosystem services to the benefit of current and future generation.

The facilitation of an integrated perception of the problems of the environment, enabling more rational actions capable of meeting social needs to be taken.

The environmental envelope of a species is defined as the set of environments within which it is believed that the species can persist: that is where its environmental requirements can be satisfied (see niche). Many large-scale vegetation or species models are based on environmental envelope techniques.

Environmental governance, as a subclass of the broader governance concept, has been defined as “the set of regulatory processes, mechanisms and organizations through which political actors influence environmental actions and outcomes” (Lemos & Agrawal, 2006), and it “should be understood broadly so as to include all institutional solutions for resolving conflicts over environmental resources”.

Environmental characteristics that explain the distribution of organisms and ecosystems in terms of environmental tolerances.

The potential occurrence of a natural or human-induced physical event or trend or physical impact that may cause loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, as well as damage and loss to property, infrastructure, livelihoods, service provision, ecosystems and environmental resources. In this report, the term hazard usually refers to climate- related physical events or trends or their physical impacts.

A measurable change to the properties of an ecosystem by a nonnative species. The logical implications of this definition are that (1) every nonnative species has an impact simply by becoming integrated into the system, (2) such impacts may be positive or negative and vary in magnitude on a continuous scale, and (3) impacts can be compared through time and across space.

A formal, evidence-based procedure that assesses the economic, social, and environmental effects of public policy or of any human activity.

An assessment that assesses the impacts of planned activity on the environment in advance, thereby allowing avoidance measures to be taken: prevention is better than cure.

An extraction from non-cultivated sources: natural forests, other non-forest wildlands such as grass-, bush- and wetlands, fallows, but also wild plants and animals harvested from croplands.

The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.

Fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, colour, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no single group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences arising from industrial, governmental, or commercial operations or policies. Meaningful involvement means that: (i) people must have the opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health; (ii) the public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision; (iii) the public’s concerns will be considered in the decision-making process; and (iv) the decision makers must seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.

The hypothesis of an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic output per capita and some measures of environmental quality: as GDP per capita rises, so does environmental degradation. However, beyond a certain point, increases in GDP per capita lead to reductions in environmental damage.

A hypothesized relationship between environmental quality and economic development: various indicators of environmental degradation tend to get worse as modern economic growth occurs until average income reaches a certain point over the course of development.

A tax whose tax base is a physical unit (or a proxy of it) that has a proven specific negative impact on the environment. Four subsets of environmental taxes are distinguished: energy taxes, transport taxes, pollution taxes and resources taxes.

Animals living on or just above the seabed.

A professional network with recognized expertise and competence, and a claim for policy-relevant knowledge, in a particular domain (Haas, 1992).

Universal participation in terms of equality of all inquirers in access to information and knowledge. Disputes over meaning and importance, among powerful and powerless social groups, on what knowledge counts as true, valid and important in decision-making. The idea of epistemic injustice also relates to distributive unfairness in the distribution of epistemic or knowledge goods and services such as information or education.

Epistemology is the theory of knowledge. It is concerned with how we know what we know; in other words, it relates to methods for producing knowledge (their assumptions, methods, scope).

A disease outbreak affecting a species’ population at the same time.

Fair and impartial.

Equity comprises three interlinked dimensions: Distributive equity highlights the need to consider not just the allocation of benefits, but also of costs and risks. Decisions about distribution can be justified on the basis of equality, social welfare, merit or need. Procedural equity encompasses fairness in political processes and participation in decision-making. Contextual equity recognises the fact that the playing field is never level, but that people's capabilities and their access to resources and power determine the extent to which they are able to utilise procedural equity to determine the best distributive outcome for themselves.

Fairness of rights, distribution, and access. Depending on context, this can refer to resources, services, or power.

elimination/extirpation of an invasive alien species from a defined geographic area even in the absence of all preventive measures obviating the necessity for further control measures (Dowdle, 1998). The time period after which an invasive alien species can be considered eradicated depends on the species and location.

The ease with which a soil erodes, defined by its resistance to two energy sources: the impact of raindrops on the soil surface, and the shearing action of runoff between clods in grooves or rills.

Places identified with as having a high erosion potential.

Essential Biodiversity Variables are promoted by the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON). The idea behind this concept is to identify, using a systems approach, the key variables that should be monitored in order to measure biodiversity change. The Essential Biodiversity Variables are an intermediate layer of abstraction between raw data, from in situ and remote sensing observations, and derived high-level indicators used to communicate the state and trends of biodiversity.

Essential Biodiversity Variables are promoted by the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON). The idea behind this concept is to identify, using a systems approach, the key variables that should be monitored in order to measure biodiversity change. The EBVs are an intermediate layer of abstraction between raw data, from in situ and remote sensing observations, and derived high-level indicators used to communicate the state and trends of biodiversity.

measurement required for study, reporting, and management of biodiversity change

alien species which produce self-sustaining and viable populations for a given period of time, during which climatic extremes typical for the invaded region are experienced, without direct intervention by humans or despite human intervention

General agreement although only a limited number of studies exist but no comprehensive synthesis and, or the studies that exist imprecisely address the question.

The study of dynamic relationships among peoples, biota, and environments, as encoded in the knowledge held by different societies and individuals. Its multidisciplinary nature allows it to examine complex, dynamic interactions between human and natural systems, and enhances our intellectual merit and broader impacts.

The euphotic zone is the layer closer to the surface of the ocean or lake that receives enough light for photosynthesis to occur.

A condition of an aquatic system in which increased nutrient loading leads to progressively increasing amounts of algal growth and biomass accumulation. When the algae die off and decompose, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water becomes reduced. In lakes, eutrophication leads to seasonal algal blooms, reduced water clarity, and, often, periodic fish mortality as a consequence of oxygen depletion.

A condition of an aquatic system in which increased nutrient loading leads to progressively increasing amounts of algal growth and biomass accumulation. When the algae die off and decompose, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water becomes reduced.

A condition of an aquatic system in which increased nutrient loading leads to progressively increasing amounts of algal growth and biomass accumulation. When the algae die off and decompose, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water becomes reduced. The term is sometimes applied more broadly than just to aquatic systems.

See Eutrophic.

Nutrient enrichment of an ecosystem, generally resulting in increased primary production and reduced biodiversity. In lakes, eutrophication leads to seasonal algal blooms, reduced water clarity, and, often, periodic fish mortality as a consequence of oxygen depletion. The term is most closely associated with aquatic ecosystems but is sometimes applied more broadly.

Nutrient enrichment of an ecosystem, generally resulting in increased primary production and reduced biodiversity. In lakes, eutrophication leads to seasonal algal blooms, reduced water clarity, and, often, periodic fish mortality as a consequence of oxygen depletion. The term is most closely associated with aquatic ecosystems but is sometimes applied more broadly.

see benchmarking and validation”.

The sum of water loss from both plants and soil measured over a specific area.

In ecology, species evenness refers to the similarity of abundances of each species in an environment. It can be quantified by a diversity index as a dimension of biodiversity.

The process whereby a species or population becomes better able to live in a changing environment, through the selection of heritable traits. Biologists usually distinguish evolutionary adaptation from acclimatisation, with the latter occurring within an organism’s lifetime.

The interdisciplinary study of the evolution of human physiology and human behaviour and the relation between hominids and non-hominid primates. Evolutionary anthropology is based in natural science and social science.

A sub-discipline of the biological sciences concerned with the origin of life and the diversification and adaptation of life forms over time.

Is a measure of how isolated a species or groups of species are in a phylogenetic tree. Regions with higher ED have more isolated lineages in them.

The use of policy- screening scenarios to forecast the effects of alternative policy or management options (interventions) on environmental outcomes.

The use of policy-screening scenarios to forecast the effects of alternative policy or management options (interventions) on environmental outcomes.