Glossary definitions

Any situation in which the current state of knowledge is such that: the order or nature of things is unknown, the consequences, extent, or magnitude of circumstances, conditions, or events is unpredictable, and credible probabilities to possible outcomes cannot be assigned. Uncertainty can result from lack of information or from disagreement about what is known or even knowable. Uncertainty can be represented by quantitative measures (e.g., a range of values calculated by various models) or by qualitative statements (e.g., reflecting the judgment of a team of experts).

Any situation in which the current state of knowledge is such that (1) the order or nature of things is unknown, (2) the consequences, extent, or magnitude of circumstances, conditions, or events is unpredictable, and (3) credible probabilities to possible outcomes cannot be assigned.

Any situation in which the current state of knowledge is such that: 1. the order or nature of things is unknown, the consequences, extent, or magnitude of circumstances, conditions, or events is unpredictable, and 2. credible probabilities to possible outcomes cannot be assigned. 3. Uncertainty can result from lack of information or from disagreement about what is known or even knowable. Uncertainty can be represented by quantitative measures (e.g. a range of values calculated by various models) or by qualitative statements (e.g. reflecting the judgment of a team of experts).

Any situation in which the current state of knowledge is such that: the order or nature of things is unknown, the consequences, extent, or magnitude of circumstances, conditions, or events is unpredictable, and credible probabilities to possible outcomes cannot be assigned. Uncertainty can result from lack of information or from disagreement about what is known or even knowable. Uncertainty can be represented by quantitative measures (e.g. a range of values calculated by various models) or by qualitative statements (e.g. reflecting the judgment of a team of experts).

see linguistic uncertainty, decision uncertainty, stochastic uncertainty, and scientific uncertainty.

Any situation in which the current state of knowledge is such that: (i). the order or nature of things is unknown; (ii). the consequences, extent, or magnitude of circumstances, conditions, or events is unpredictable; and (iii). credible probabilities to possible outcomes cannot be assigned. Uncertainty can result from lack of information or from disagreement about what is known or even knowable. Uncertainty can be represented by quantitative measures (e.g. a range of values calculated by various models) or by qualitative statements (e.g. reflecting the judgment of a team of experts).

The IPBES Units of Analysis result from subdividing the Earth’s surface into units solely for the purposes of analysis. The following have been identified as IPBES units of analysis globally: Terrestrial: Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forests Temperate and boreal forests and woodlands Mediterranean forests, woodlands and scrub Tundra and High Mountain habitats Tropical and subtropical savannas and grasslands Temperate Grasslands Deserts and xeric shrublands Wetlands - peatlands, mires, bogs Urban/Semi-urban Cultivated areas (incl. cropping, intensive livestock farming etc.) Aquatic, including both marine and freshwater: Cryosphere Aquaculture areas Inland surface waters and water bodies/freshwater Shelf ecosystems (neritic and intertidal/littoral zone) Open ocean pelagic systems (euphotic zone) Deep-Sea Coastal areas intensively used for multiple purposes by humans These IPBES terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis serve as a framework for comparison within and across assessments and represent a pragmatic solution. The IPBES terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis are not intended to be prescriptive for other purposes than those of IPBES assessments. They are likely to evolve as the work of IPBES develops.

The IPBES Units of Analysis result from subdividing the Earth's surface into units solely for the purposes of analysis. The following have been identified as IPBES units of analysis globally: Terrestrial: Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forests, Temperate and boreal forests and woodlands, Mediterranean forests, woodlands and scrub, Tundra and High Mountain habitats, Tropical and subtropical savannas and grasslands, Temperate Grasslands, Deserts and xeric shrublands, Wetlands - peatlands, mires, bogs, Urban/Semi-urban, Cultivated areas (incl. cropping, intensive livestock farming etc.).; Aquatic, including both marine and freshwater: Cryosphere, Aquaculture areas, Inland surface waters and water bodies/ freshwater, Shelf ecosystems (neritic and intertidal/ littoral zone), Open ocean pelagic systems (euphotic zone), Deep-Sea, Coastal areas intensively used for multiple purposes by humans.These IPBES terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis serve as a framework for comparison within and across assessments and represent a pragmatic solution. The IPBES terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis are not intended to be prescriptive for other purposes than those of IPBES assessments. They are likely to evolve as the work of IPBES develops.

The IPBES Units of Analysis result from subdividing the Earth's surface into units solely for the purposes of analysis. The following have been identified: IPBES units of analysis (terrestrial): Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forests; Temperate and boreal forests and woodlands; Mediterranean forests, woodlands and scrub; Tundra and High Mountain habitats; Tropical and subtropical savannas and grasslands; Temperate Grasslands; Deserts and xeric shrublands; Wetlands - peatlands, mires, bogs; Urban/Semi-urban; Cultivated areas (incl. cropping, intensive livestock farming etc.).; IPBES units of analysis (aquatic, including both marine and freshwater units):; Cryosphere; Aquaculture areas; Inland surface waters and water bodies/ freshwater; Shelf ecosystems (neritic and intertidal/ littoral zone); Open ocean pelagic systems (euphotic zone); Deep-Sea; Coastal areas intensively used for multiple purposes by humans.; These IPBES terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis serve as a framework for comparison within and across assessments and represent a pragmatic solution, which may evolve as the work of IPBES develops. The IPBES terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis serve the purposes of IPBES, and are not intended to be prescriptive for other purposes.

Units of analysis result from subdividing the Earth's surface into units solely for the purposes of analysis. The terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis serve as a framework for comparison within and across IPBES assessments and represent a pragmatic solution. The terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis used by IPBES are not intended to be prescriptive for purposes other than those of IPBES assessments. They are likely to evolve as the work of IPBES develops.

The IPBES Units of Analysis result from subdividing the Earth's surface into units solely for the purposes of analysis. The following have been identified: IPBES units of analysis (terrestrial): Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forests, Temperate and boreal forests and woodlands, Mediterranean forests, woodlands and scrub, Tundra and High Mountain habitats, Tropical and subtropical savannas and grasslands, Temperate Grasslands, Deserts and xeric shrublands, Wetlands - peatlands, mires, bogs, Urban/Semi-urban, Cultivated areas (incl. cropping, intensive livestock farming etc.).; IPBES units of analysis (aquatic, including both marine and freshwater units): Cryosphere, Aquaculture areas, Inland surface waters and water bodies/ freshwater, Shelf ecosystems (neritic and intertidal/ littoral zone), Open ocean pelagic systems (euphotic zone), Deep-Sea, Coastal areas intensively used for multiple purposes by humans. These IPBES terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis serve as a framework for comparison within and across assessments and represent a pragmatic solution, which may evolve as the work of IPBES develops. The IPBES terrestrial and aquatic units of analysis serve the purposes of IPBES, and are not intended to be prescriptive for other purposes.

The IPBES Units of Analysis result from subdividing the Earth?s surface into units solely for the purposes of analysis. The following have been identified as IPBES units of analysis globally:Terrestrial:Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forestsTem.

Something difficult or impossible to foretell or foresee.

Multiple independent studies exist but conclusions do not agree.

Each of a series of Hindu sacred treatises written in Sanskrit c.800-200 BC, expounding the Vedas in predominantly mystical and monistic terms.

The process of scaling information from local, fine-grained resolution to global, coarse-grained resolution.

A process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface replacing warmer water pushed away by winds. Water that rises to the surface as a result of upwelling is typically colder and rich in nutrients, which “fertilize” surface waters, meaning that these surface waters often have high biological productivity.

adj. Pertaining to the built-up, human- inhabited environment (cities, towns, villages, etc.).

Any ecological system located within a city or other densely settled area or, in a broader sense, the greater ecological system that makes up an entire metropolitan area (Pickett, 2018).

The term heat island describes built up areas that are hotter than nearby rural areas.

A method to evaluate the flows of energy and materials within an urban system, which can provide insights into the system's sustainability and the severity of urban problems such as excessive social, community, and household metabolism at scales ranging from global to local.

The increase in the proportion of a population living in urban areas; the process by which a large number of people becomes permanently concentrated in relatively small areas, forming cities.

Increase in the proportion of a population living in urban areas; process by which a large number of people becomes permanently concentrated in relatively small areas, forming cities.

The process by which villages, towns, cities and other built-up areas grow or by which societies become more urban.

The wild species uses are defined through the practices of fishing, gathering, terrestrial animal harvesting, logging, and non-extractive practices. For the purposes of this assessment, the use of wild species have been divided into different categories, which are not mutually exclusive: ceremony and ritual expression, decorative and aesthetic, energy, food and feed, learning and education, materials and construction, medicine and hygiene, recreation and other: companionship.

Stakeholders who use the products of an assessment, such as decision-makers.

A legal right accorded to a person or party that confers the temporary right to use and derive income or benefit from someone else’s property.

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.