Glossary definitions

An analytical technique used to search for target-seeking scenarios that fulfil a predefined goal, or set of goals.

Areas where most soil has been eroded away.

Ballast water is water carried in ships’ ballast tanks to improve stability, balance and trim. It is taken up or discharged when cargo is unloaded or loaded, or when a ship needs extra stability in foul weather. When ships take on ballast water, plants and animals that live in the ocean are also picked up.

A land cover class that includes any geographic area dominated by natural abiotic surfaces (bare soil, sand, rocks and so on) where the natural vegetation is absent or almost absent (covers less than 2%).

Area occupied by the cross-section of tree trunks and stems at base height (130cm from the ground). It is used to characterize different variables in forest ecology and management, e.g. forest structure, productivity and growth rate.

A minimum or starting point with which to compare other information (e.g. for comparisons between past and present or before and after an intervention).

A minimum or starting point to which to compare other information (e.g. for comparisons between past and present or before and after an intervention).

The husbandry of bees, especially honey bees (the genus Apis) but can be applied to other bees (see Managed pollinators).

interventions can close or ‘bridge’ the gap between values and behaviour by ensuring that the various conditions are met that together enable people to act consistently with sustainability-aligned values. These conditions can be categorized as providing (i) capability, (ii) opportunity and (iii) motivation to act.

The study of the influence of emotions and opinions on the decisions people and organizations make in spending and saving. Behavioural economics suggests that human decisions are strongly influenced by context, including the way in which choices are presented to us. Behaviour varies across time and space, and it is subject to cognitive biases, emotions, and social influences. Decisions are the result of less deliberative, linear and controlled processes.

The process of systematically comparing sets of model predictions against measured data in order to evaluate model performance.

See models.

Different social actors and groups who may be benefiting from nature and its contributions to people in different ways and to different degrees, including individual, household or collective levels.

The beneficiary pay principle aims to compensate providers for costs involved in production of beneficial environmental goods and services.

Something that promotes or enhances well-being; an advantage. Benefits may be monetary, health, or environmental or any combination thereof.

Distribution of benefits between stakeholders.

Advantage that contribute to well-being from the fulfilment of needs and wants. In the context of nature's contributions to people.

Advantage that contributes to well-being from the fulfilment of needs and wants.

Advantage that contributes to wellbeing from the fulfilment of needs and wants. In the context of nature's contributions to people (see Nature's contributions to people), a benefit is a positive contribution. (There may also be negative contributions, dis-benefits, or costs, from Nature, such as diseases).

Occurring at the bottom of a body of water; related to benthos.

A group of organisms, including invertebrates, that live in or on the bottom in aquatic habitats.

A group of organisms, other invertebrates, that live in or on the bottom in aquatic habitats.

The satisfaction of preserving the option of future generations to enjoy nature’s benefits.

A method or technique that consistently shows results superior to those achieved by other means, and that can be used as a benchmark. Best practices evolve agro-ecosystem properties (soil health, water storage, pest and disease resistance) by incorporating benefits of with improvements. Best practices can be used to maintain quality as an alternative to mandatory legislated standards and may be based on self-assessment or benchmarking.

See annual.

Exploration of biodiversity for commercially, scientifically, or culturally valuable genetic and biochemical resources.

A method for mitigating land degradation using mechanical (structures) and biological elements to prevent severe erosion.

Some contaminants that enter biological systems are preferentially stored (usually in fat tissue) in organisms resulting in an accumulation over time. This process is called bioaccumulation.

The accumulation of environmental pollutants such as isotopes of elements, inorganic and organic compounds in organisms or the environment.

The definition that follows is for the purpose of this assessment only: Biocapacity has a variety of definitions, but is defined by the Global Footprint Network the as the ecosystems' capacity to produce biological materials used by people and to absorb waste material generated by humans, under current management schemes and extraction technologies. The ‘biocapacity' indicator used in this report is based on the Global Footprint Network unless otherwise specified.

The ecosystem's capacity to produce biological materials used by people and to absorb waste material generated by humans, under current management schemes and extraction technologies. The biocapacity indicator used in the present report is based on the Global Footprint Network, unless otherwise specified.

The capacity of a country, a region, or the world, to produce useful biological materials for its human population and to absorb waste materials.

Recognizing the importance of non- human life.

Ethical perspective holding that all life (including humans, fauna, flora and domestic animals) deserves equal moral consideration or has equal moral standing. It contrasts with worldviews characterized as anthropocentric, which places humans at the center.

See Ecocentrism.

Charcoal made from biomass via pyrolysis and used for soil enhancement.

Charcoal made from biomass via pyrolysis and used for soil improvement.

A measure of the amount of oxygen required or consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water. The purpose of this indicator is to assess the quality of water available to consumers in localities or communities for basic and commercial needs. It is also one of a group of indicators of ecosystem health.

Conservation actions made in the service of sustaining the biophysical and sociocultural components of dynamic, interacting, and interdependent social-ecological systems.

a biocultural community protocol is a document that is developed after a community under-takes a consultative process to outline their core cultural and spiritual values and customary laws relating to their traditional knowledge and resources

The diversity exhibited by interacting natural systems and human cultures. The concept rests on three propositions: firstly, that the diversity of life includes human cultures and languages; secondly, that links exist between biodiversity and human cultural diversity; and finally, that these links have developed over time through mutual adaptation and possibly co-evolution between humans, plants and animals.

The total sum of the world's differences, irrespective of their origin. The concept encompasses biological diversity at all its levels and cultural diversity in all its manifestations. It is derived from the myriad ways in which humans have interacted with their natural surroundings.

Biocultural diversity is considered as biological and cultural diversity and the links between them.

The total variety exhibited by the world's natural and cultural systems, explicitly considers the idea that culture and nature are mutually constituting, and denotes three concepts: first, diversity of life includes human cultures and languages; second, links exist between biodiversity and cultural diversity; and last, these links have developed over time through mutual adaptation and possibly co-evolution.

The diversity exhibited collectively by natural and cultural systems. It incorporates three concepts: firstly, that the diversity of life includes human cultures and languages; secondly, that links exist between biodiversity and human cultural diversity; and finally, that these links have developed over time through mutual adaptation and possibly co-evolution between humans, plants and animals.

The diversity exhibited by interacting natural systems and cultural (human) systems. The concept rests on three propositions: firstly, that the diversity of life includes human cultures and languages; secondly, that links exist between biodiversity and human cultural diversity; and finally, that these links have developed over time through mutual adaptation and possibly co-evolution between humans, plants and animals.

actions made in the service of sustaining the biophysical and sociocultural components of dynamic, interacting, and interdependent social–ecological systems

Places where relict (formerly more widespread or abundant) species have found shelter during periods of stress, and that also contain a diversity of human knowledge and experiences, value and belief systems.

Physical and chemical breakdown of a substance by living organisms, mainly bacteria and/or fungi.

A fuel that is similar to diesel fuel and is derived from usually vegetable sources (such as soybean oil).