Glossary definitions

The science of the relationship between heat, work, temperature, and energy. In broad terms, thermodynamics deals with the transfer of energy from one place to another and from one form to another. The key concept is that heat is a form of energy corresponding to a definite amount of mechanical work. The behaviour of a complex thermodynamic system, such as Earth's atmosphere, can be understood by first applying the principles of states and properties to its component parts—in this case, water, water vapour, and the various gases making up the atmosphere. By isolating samples of material whose states and properties can be controlled and manipulated, properties and their interrelations can be studied as the system changes from state to state.

In the IUCN Red List terminology, a threatened species is any species listed in the Red List categories: critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable.

Harmful or fatal effect of a small change in environmental conditions that exceeds the limit of tolerance of an organism or population of a species.

Magnitudes or intensities that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested.

Intertidal, non-vegetated, soft sediment habitats, found between mean high- water and mean low-water spring tide datums and generally located in estuaries and other low energy marine environments (Dineen, 2010).

In agriculture, the preparation of soil for planting and the cultivation of soil after planting.

The altitude (in mountains) and latitude above which trees are unable to grow - also called tree line (Lawrence, 2005).

A set of conditions of an ecological or social system where further perturbation will cause rapid change and prevent the system from returning to its former state.

A level of change in system properties beyond which a system reorganizes, often abruptly, and does not return to the initial state even if the drivers of the change are abated.

Systems driven by top level or higher- order processes.

The upper part of a natural soil that is generally dark coloured and has a higher content of organic matter and nutrients when compared to the (mineral) horizons below. It excludes the litter layer.

The total catch allowed to be taken from a resource within a specified time period (usually a year) by all operators; designated by the regulatory authority. Usually allocated in the form of quotas (IUCN, 2012a).

The total catch allowed to be taken from a resource within a specified time period (usually a year) by all operators; designated by the regulatory authority. Usually allocated in the form of quotas.

A concept in cost-benefit analysis that refers to the value derived by people from a natural resource, a man-made heritage resource or an infrastructure system, compared to not having it.

A principle or an ontology found within societies that differentiate different sections of the society, according to the attachment of these sections to animal or plant tutelar spirits. In other words, totemism defines discontinuities in social order according to each group's attachment to a specific animal or plant spirit that is perceived as having similar features to this section (or clan) and an innerself that also ressembles people in this section (and reciprocally).

A principle or an ontology found within societies that differentiate different sections of the society, according to the attachment of these sections to animal or plant tutelar spirits. In other words, totemism defines discontinuities in social order according to each group's attachment to a specific animal or plant spirit that is perceived as having similar features to this section (or clan) and an inner-self that also resembles people in this section (and reciprocally).

Trade is defined in formal markets as the exchanges in which records are kept and statistics generated. It is expected that currency is the medium of exchange in formal markets. Trade in informal markets encompasses exchanges in which neither records nor statistics are generated; the medium of exchange may be currency or goods and/or services.

A trade-off is a situation where an improvement in the status of one aspect of the environment or of human well-being is necessarily associated with a decline in or loss of a different aspect. Trade-offs characterize most complex systems, and are important to consider when making decisions that aim to improve environmental and/or socio-economic outcomes. Trade-offs are distinct from synergies (the latter are also referred to as “win-win” scenarios): synergies arise when the enhancement of one desirable outcome leads to enhancement of another.

A situation where an improvement in the status of one aspect of the environment or of human well-being is necessarily associated with a decline in or loss of a different aspect. Trade-offs characterize most complex systems, and are important to consider when making decisions that aim to improve environmental and/or socio-economic outcomes. Trade-offs are distinct from synergies (the latter are also referred to as win-win scenarios): synergies arise when the enhancement of one desirable outcome leads to enhancement of another.

A balance achieved between two desirable but incompatible features; a compromise.

A trade-off is a situation where an improvement in the status of one aspect of the environment or of human well-being is necessarily associated with a decline in or loss of a different aspect. Trade-offs characterize most complex systems and are important to consider when making decisions that aim to improve environmental and/or socio-economic outcomes. Trade-offs are distinct from synergies (the latter are also referred to as “win-win” scenarios): synergies arise when the enhancement of one desirable outcome leads to enhancement of another.

Any type of farming that uses techniques developed over decades or centuries to ensure good, sustainable yields in a specific area or region. Traditional farms are based around mixed crops that complement one another.

Resource management strategies and practices based on accumulated indigenous and local knowledge acquired through community-based learning processes and transmitted between successive generations.

see indigenous and local knowledge.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is a cumulative body of knowledge and beliefs, handed down through generations by cultural transmission, about the relationship of living beings (including humans) with one another and with their environment. Further, TEK is an attribute of societies with historical continuity in resource use practices; by and large, there are non-industrial or less technologically advanced societies, many of them indigenous or tribal.

Restoration and ecosystem management activities based on indigenous and local knowledge and often executed by IPLC to restore and maintain the healthy functioning of ecosystems.

A term used to refer to complex, diverse and locally adapted agricultural systems, managed with time-tested through multi-generational experimentation, as well as diffusion of knowledge and practices. While the term ‘traditional’ is used to refer to a persisting long-term farming system, it does not intend to imply that such systems are static.

See Indigenous and local knowledge.

The concept of Traditional Knowledge (TK) in CBD has two characteristics. Firstly, CBD defines TK as one kind of knowledge, innovations and practices which is helpful to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Secondly, CBD limits the TK to link with Indigenous and Local Communities (ILCs) embodying traditional lifestyles, i.e. these TK were created and preserved by ILCs and they are accumulated, developed and inherited generation by generation.

The concept of Traditional Knowledge (TK) in the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) has two characteristics. Firstly, CBD defines TK as one kind of knowledge, innovations and practices which is helpful to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Secondly, CBD limits the TK to link with indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) embodying traditional lifestyles, i.e. these TK were created and preserved by IPLCs and they are accumulated, developed and inherited generation by generation.

Traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skill, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.

Title of an influential 1968 essay by biologist Garrett Hardin, which argued that overuse of common resources is a leading cause of environmental degradation. This was interpreted by some, especially economists and free-market libertarians, to mean that private ownership is preferable to the commons for the stewardship of land, water, minerals, etc. Yet in recent years many have challenged this view on both empirical and philosophical grounds. Professor Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University has been a leading figure in demonstrating the practical utility and sustainability of commons governance regimes, particularly in developing countries. This suggests that the vision of human behaviour implicit in the tragedy of the commons metaphor is not as immutable as many economists assert, and that collective management is an eminently practical governance strategy in many circumstances. The tragedy of the anti-commons is now frequently invoked to describe the problems associated with excessive privatization and fragmentation of property rights, such that collective action for the common good is thwarted. See also Commons” and Common pool resources”.

a situation in which individuals with access to a public resource (also called a common) act in their own interest and, in doing so, ultimately deplete the resource

Flows, interactions, relationships across boundary, in reference to jurisdictions, political units, physical nature features.

Pollution that originates in one country but, by crossing the border through pathways of water or air, can cause damage to the environment in another country.

The capacity to cross thresholds, enter new development trajectories, abandon unsustainable actions and chart better pathways to established targets (Folke et al. 2010).

A change in the fundamental attributes of natural and human systems that reflect strengthened, altered, or aligned paradigms, goals, or values towards promoting adaptation that supports sustainable development, including poverty reduction.

In an organizational context, it refers to profound and radical change that orients an organization in a new direction and takes it to an entirely different level of effectiveness.

See land transformation.

Transformative change is defined in line with previous work of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services approved by its Plenary, as a fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values, needed for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, good quality of life and sustainable development.

A fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values (IPBES, 2018; IPCC, 2018).

A system wide change that requires more than technological change through consideration of social and economic factors that, with technology, can bring about rapid change at scale.

The IPBES Global Assessment defines transformative change as ‘a fundamental, system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values. We build on this definition through reference to the depth, breadth and dynamics of system reorganisation. Depth refers to change that goes beyond addressing the symptoms of environmental change or their proximate drivers, such as new technologies, incentive systems or protected areas, to include changes to underlying drivers, including consumption preferences, beliefs, ideologies and social inequalities (IPBES, 2019; Patterson et al., 2017; Scoones et al., 2015). Breadth refers to change across multiple spheres, with emerging consensus that transformation requires co-evolutionary change across different spheres of society, including personal, economic, political, institutional and technological ones (Harvey, 2010; O’Brien & Sygna, 2013; Pelling et al., 2015; Temper et al., 2018; Westley et al., 2011). Dynamics and processes refer to the emergent patterns of change across ‘depths’, ‘breadths’ and time that unfold as non-linear pathways. These may be characterised by ‘punctuated equilibrium’ in which more stable periods of incremental change are punctuated by bursts of change in which underlying structures are reorganised into new states (Patterson et al., 2017; Westley et al., 2011).

a fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic, and social factors making sustainability the norm

the set of formal and informal (public and private) rules, rulemaking systems and actor networks at all levels of human society that enable transformative change

A Form of pastoralism or nomadism organized around the migration of livestock between mountain pastures in warm seasons and lower altitudes the rest of the year. The seasonal migration may also occur between lower and upper latitudes. A traditional farming practice based on indigenous and local knowledge.

Form of pastoralism or nomadism organized around the migration of livestock between mountain pastures in warm seasons and lower altitudes the rest of the year.

Form of pastoralism or nomadism organized around the migration of livestock between mountain pastures in warm seasons and lower altitudes the rest of the year. The seasonal migration may also occur between lower and upper latitudes. A traditional farming practice based on indigenous and local knowledge.

The action or practice of moving livestock from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle, typically to lowlands in winter and highlands in summer.

A course of actions and strategies that aim to achieve the vision. They are closely related to policy or target-seeking scenarios.