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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)
kelp

A large brown seaweed that typically has a long, tough stalk with a broad frond divided into strip.

Asia-Pacific assessment
key biodiversity area

Sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity. They represent the most important sites for biodiversity worldwide, and are identified nationally using globally standardised criteria and thresholds.

Americas assessment, Europe and Central Asia assessment, Africa assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme), Asia-Pacific assessment
key biodiversity area

Sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity. They represent the most important sites for biodiversity conservation worldwide, and are identified nationally using globally standardized criteria and thresholds.

key players

People and organizations who both can influence and become affected by decisions - that is, in certain contexts, they serve as influencers, while at the same time are involved in actual decision making.

Values assessment
keystone species

A species whose impact on the community or ecosystem is disproportionately large relative to its abundance. Effects can be produced by consumption (trophic interactions), competition, mutualism, dispersal, pollination, disease, or habitat modification (non-trophic interactions).

Sustainable use assessment
keystone species

A species whose impact on the community or ecosystem is disproportionately large relative to its abundance. Effects can be produced by consumption (trophic interactions), competition, mutualism, dispersal, pollination, disease, or habitat modification (no.

keystone species

Species that maintain the organization and diversity of their ecological communities and are thus exceptional, relative to the rest of the community, in their importance. Species that, despite low biomass, exert strong effects on the structure of the communities they inhabit.

Asia-Pacific assessment
kinship-centric principle (non-humans)

animals, plants and spirits, and such approach forms part of an indigenous cultural identity. Maintaining reciprocal and healthy relationships through a continuum with animals, plants and the lands where they reside involve the giving and taking of resources in appropriate ways, at appropriate times. In some cases, animals and plants are seen and treated as equals to humans and shape and reshape human relations with nature. Often, the values embedded in these relationships drive human behaviour and are elicited through certain valuation methods. Appreciation (no disregard) for spiritual entities (e.g. sacred mountains, rivers, among others) residing on ancestral lands, can be an example of a Kinship-central approach (focused on non-humans).

Values assessment
kinship-centric principle (other humans)

Actions of mutual support between humans such as sharing, gender equity, social equity, honesty, humility, modesty. Some of these elements can be revealed as relevant through valuation methods and approaches, as well as by practices associated with them.

Values assessment
knowledge system

Indigenous and local knowledge systems are understood to be dynamic bodies of integrated, holistic, social and ecological understandings, know-hows, practices and beliefs pertaining to the relationship of living beings, including people, with one another and with their environment. Indigenous and local knowledge is grounded in territory, is highly diverse and is continuously evolving through the interaction of experiences, skills, innovations and different types of wisdom expressed in multiple ways (written, oral, visual, tacit, practical and scientific). Such knowledge can provide information, methods, theory and practice for sustainable ecosystem management. Indigenous and local knowledge systems have been, and continue to be, empirically tested, applied, contested and validated through different means in different contexts. Western Academic knowledge systems relate to often explicit knowledge that has been derived from applying formal methods in academic or technical institutions.

Values assessment
knowledge system

A body of propositions that are adhered to, whether formally or informally, and are routinely used to claim truth.

Scenarios and models assessment
knowledge system

A body of propositions that are adhered to, whether formally or informally, and are routinely used to claim truth. They are organized structures and dynamic processes (a) generating and representing content, components, classes, or types of knowledge, that are (b) domain-specific or characterized by domain-relevant features as defined by the user or consumer, (c) reinforced by a set of logical relationships that connect the content of knowledge to its value (utility), (d) enhanced by a set of iterative processes that enable the evolution, revision, adaptation, and advances, and (e) subject to criteria of relevance, reliability, and quality.

Europe and Central Asia assessment, Americas assessment, Sustainable use assessment, Land degradation and restoration assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment
knowledge system

Organized structures and dynamic processes (a) generating and representing content, components, classes, or types of knowledge, that are (b) domain-specific or characterized by domain-relevant features as defined by the user or consumer, (c) reinforced by a set of logical relationships that connect the content of knowledge to its value (utility), (d) enhanced by a set of iterative processes that enable the evolution, revision, adaptation, and advances, and (e) subject to criteria of relevance, reliability, and quality.

Pollination assessment
knowledge system

A body of propositions that are adhered to, whether formally or informally, and are routinely used to claim truth. They are organised structures and dynamic processes: generating and representing content, components, classes, or types of knowledge, that are, domain-specific or characterised by domain-relevant features as defined by the user or consumer,, reinforced by a set of logical relationships that connect the content of knowledge to its value (utility),, enhanced by a set of iterative processes that enable the evolution, revision, adaptation, and advances, and,, subject to criteria of relevance, reliability, and quality.

Africa assessment
kyoto protocol

An international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.

Asia-Pacific assessment