Glossary definitions

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.

The human-mediated movement of living organisms from one area, with release in another.

A land cover class that includes any geographic area dominated by natural tree plants with a cover of 10 percent or more. Areas planted with trees for afforestation purposes and forest plantations are included in this class.

All trees excluded from the definition of forest and other wooded lands. Trees outside the forest are located on other lands, mostly on farmlands and built-up areas, both in rural and urban areas.

The general direction in which the structure or dynamics of a system tends to change, even if individual observations vary.

A general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving.

temporal trends are directional long-term changes (i.e., decades to centuries) in numbers of species, populations or individuals introduced, or the spatial extent of colonization (Buckland et al., 2017). In this assessment report, trends are presented as indicators of species numbers (species richness) and rates of accumulation of species (e.g., first records of a species in a given location) over time.

The chain of knock-on extinctions observed or predicted to occur following the loss of one or a few species that play a critical role (e.g. as a pollinator) in ecosystem functioning.

The level in the food chain in which one group of organisms serves as a source of nutrition for another group of organisms (e.g. primary producers, primary or secondary consumers, decomposers).

The level in the food chain in which one group of organisms serves as a source of nutrition for another group of organisms.

The transport of contaminants between two trophic levels (Suedel et al., 1994).

Trophy hunting is defined as the hunting for one or more individuals of a particular species with specific desired characteristics (such as large size or antlers) with the payment of a fee by a hunter for a hunting experience and trophy. The most common trophy is the mounted head with horns or antlers, although other parts of animal body ( skins, tails, teeth, heads) or even the whole bodies can be also appreciated as a trophy.

Turbidity describes the cloudiness of water caused by suspended particles such as clay and silts, chemical precipitates such as manganese and iron, and organic particles such as plant debris and organisms.

The measure of humanity's use of fresh water as represented in volumes of water consumed and/or polluted.

The water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods and services we use. It can be measured for a single process, such as growing rice, for a product, such as a pair of jeans, for the fuel we put in our car, or for an entire.

A situation where powerful actors are able to take control of, or reallocate to their own benefits, water resources already used by local communities or feeding aquatic ecosystems on which their livelihoods are based (Mehta et al., 2012).

An excess of water on top and/or within the soil, leading to reduced air availability in the soil for long periods.

Vegetation, and specially aquatic plants, can assist in removing sediments and nutrients and other impurities from water.

The ratio of total water withdrawal to the water availability including environmental flow requirements. Higher WSI values lead to decreasing water security.

The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability.

The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution, water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems.

The reliable availability of an acceptable quantity and quality of water for health, livelihoods and production, coupled with an acceptable level of water-related risks.

The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio- economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability.

Physiological stress experienced by a plant as a result of a lack of available moisture or a low water potential in the surrounding soil; an instance of this. Economic or political pressures in a country or region as a result of insufficient access to fresh water.

Water stress occurs in an organism when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use.

The upper surface of the zone of ground water.

The ratio between effective water use and actual water withdrawal. In irrigation, it represents the ratio between estimated plant water requirements (through evapotranspiration) and actual water withdrawal.

A plant that is a pest (q.v.) in a particular circumstance.

See 'Social welfare'.

The provision of a minimal level of well- being (q.v.) and social support for all citizens.

Consensus from a comprehensive meta- analysis7 or other synthesis, or multiple independent studies that agree.

Human well-being is a state in which there is opportunity for satisfying social relationships and where human needs are met, where one can act meaningfully to pursue one's goals and where one enjoys a satisfactory quality of life”.

A perspective on a good life that comprises access to basic materials for a good life, freedom and choice, health and physical well-being, good social relations, security, peace of mind and spiritual experience.

A perspective on a good life that comprises access to basic resources, freedom and choice, health and physical well-being, good social relationships, security, peace of mind and spiritual experience. Human well-being is a state of being with others and the environment. Well-being is achieved when individuals and communities can act meaningfully to pursue their goals and everyone can enjoy a good quality of life. The concept of human well-being is used in many western societies and its variants, together with living in harmony with nature, and living well in balance and harmony with Mother Earth.

A perspective on a good life that comprises access to basic resources, freedom and choice, health and physical well-being, good social relationships, security, peace of mind and spiritual experience. Well-being is achieved when individuals and communities can act meaningfully to pursue their goals and can enjoy a good quality of life. The concept of human well- being is used in many western societies and its variants, together with living in harmony with nature, and living well in balance and harmony with Mother Earth. All these are different perspectives on a good quality of life.

A perspective on a good life that comprises access to basic resources, freedom and choice, health and physical well-being, good social relationships, security, peace of mind and spiritual experience. Well-being is achieved when individuals and communities can act meaningfully to pursue their goals and can enjoy a good quality of life. The concept of human well-being is used in many western societies and its variants, together with living in harmony with nature, and living well in balance and harmony with Mother Earth. All these are different perspectives on a good quality of life.

A perspective on a good life that comprises access to basic resources, freedom and choice, health and physical well-being, good social relations, security, peace of mind and spiritual experience. Human wellbeing is a state of being with others and the environment. Wellbeing is achieved when individuals and communities can act meaningfully to pursue their goals and everyone can enjoy a good quality of life.

A perspective on a good life that comprises access to basic resources, freedom and choice, health and physical, including psychological, well- being, good social relationships, security, equity, peace of mind and spiritual experience. Well-being is achieved when individuals and communities can act meaningfully to pursue their goals and can enjoy a good quality of life. The concept of human well-being is used in many western societies and its variants, together with living in harmony with nature, and living well in balance and harmony with Mother Earth. All these are different perspectives on a good quality of life.

(Also called modern science, Western scientific knowledge or international science) is used in the context of the IPBES conceptual framework as a broad term to refer to knowledge typically generated in universities, research institutions and private firms following paradigms and methods typically associated with the scientific method consolidated in Post-Renaissance Europe on the basis of wider and more ancient roots. It is typically transmitted through scientific journals and scholarly books. Some of its central tenets are observer independence, replicable findings, systematic scepticism, and transparent research methodologies with standard units and categories.