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)
synthesis report	Synthesis reports further distil and integrate materials drawing from assessment reports, are written in a nontechnical style suitable for policymakers and address a broad range of policy-relevant questions. They are to be composed of two sections: a summary for policymakers, and a full report.	Asia-Pacific assessment
synthetic biology	Adopted as a working definition definition by the Convention on Biological Diversity AHTEG on Synthetic Biology, Synthetic biology was defined as “a further development and new dimension of modern biotechnology that combines science, technology, and engineering to facilitate and accelerate the understanding, design, redesign, manufacture and/or modification of genetic materials, living organisms and biological systems”.	Sustainable use assessment
systematic review	Collation and critical analysis of multiple research studies or papers, using a structured methodology.	Sustainable use assessment, Asia-Pacific assessment
systems of life	The complex, integrated interactions of living beings (including humans), such as the cultural attributes of communities, socio-economic conditions and biophysical variables.	Scenarios and models assessment