Glossary definitions

The IPBES glossary terms definitions page provides definitions of terms used in IPBES assessments. Some definitions in this online glossary have been edited for consistency. Please refer to the specific assessment glossary for citations/authorities of definitions.

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Concept	Definition	Deliverable(s)
projection	Any description of the future, and the pathway leading to it.	Scenarios and models assessment
propagule pressure	The quantity, quality and frequency of propagules (such as spores, eggs, larvae, or adults) released in a given location. This term can be seen as the introduction effort, i.e. the pool of individuals introduced in a new ecosystem/area/region and the number of times it is released.	Americas assessment
propagule pressure	a measure of introduction intensity, including release from captivity or cultivation, comprising both the number of individuals of a species introduced per introduction (propagule size) and the frequency of introductions	Invasive alien species assessment
protected area	A protected area is a clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.	Asia-Pacific assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment, Americas assessment, Africa assessment, Sustainable use assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme), Pollination assessment
protected area downgrading, downsizing and degazettement	Refers to legal changes that ease restrictions on the use of a protected area, shrink a protected area's boundaries or eliminate legal protections entirely (Mascia & Pailler, 2011).	Global assessment (1st work programme)
protected area	A clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.	Land degradation and restoration assessment
provisioning service	The products people obtain from ecosystems; may include food, freshwater, timber, fibres, medicinal plants.	Africa assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment, Sustainable use assessment
public-private partnership	A long-term contract between a private party and a government entity, for providing a public asset or service, in which the private party bears significant risk and management responsibility and remuneration is linked to performance.	Land degradation and restoration assessment
purchasing power parity	An economic theory that estimates the amount of adjustment needed on the exchange rate between countries in order for the exchange to be equivalent to each currency’s purchasing power. It states that exchange rates between currencies are in equilibrium when their purchasing power is the same in each of the two countries. This means that the exchange rate between two countries should equal the ratio of the two countries’ price level of a fixed basket of goods and services.	Pollination assessment

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