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20-20-20 package
Chapter 7Agreement of all EU members about three targets, to be realised in 2020: to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20%, compared to 1990; to obtain at least 20% sustainable energy; and to increase energy efficiency with at least 20%
A
Absolute poverty
Chapter 3State of a person who is unable to afford a minimum of basic human needs, including clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter
Accountability
Chapter 8Obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities and to disclose the results in a transparent manner. Is often wrongly equated with responsibility (qv)
Action without action
Chapter 4See: Wei wu wei
Adaptation
Chapter 1Paradigm according to which an attempt is made to adapt to the forces of nature or of the human nature in order to co-exist in a harmonic way
Aerosols
Chapter 8Suspension of fine solid particles (particulate matter, qv) or liquid droplets in a gas, e.f. in the atmosphere, e.g. clouds, and air pollution such as smog and smoke
Ageing
Chapter 5See: Population ageing
Agenda 21
Chapter 4International action programme on environment and sustainable development, agreed at the UNCED (1992): the "Agenda for the 21st century"
Ahimsa
Chapter 5Religious and philosophical principle of nonviolence and respect for all life. See also: Gandhi
Albedo
Chapter 7Reflectivity of a planet, expressed as the percentage of the sunlight that is directly reflected back into space
Analytical approach
Chapter 3View in which aspects of a system are described or understood by studying its constituing elements. Opposite of a holistic approach
Anthropogenic greenhouse effect
Chapter 7Greenhouse effect caused by humans, adding to the natural greenhouse effect
Anticipate
Chapter 6Foresee or expect certain future developments and take appropriate advance action
Aquaculture
Chapter 4Farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants
Automation
Chapter 2Introduction of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services
B
Backloading
Chapter 7Postponing the auctioning of emission allowances
Basel Ban
Chapter 3International treaty designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries
Biocapacitty
Chapter 2Carrying capacity of the ecosystems of the Earth or of a region, enabling a human population to produce resources and to mitigate waste, expressed in 'global hectares'. See also: ecological footprint
Biodiversity
Chapter 1Totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a region
Biofuels
Chapter 7Fuel produced from crops and other living organisms, such as linseed oil, wood chips or algae
Bioindustry
Chapter 2Industrial type of livestock farming, with a high attention to efficiency and less to animal welfare and environmental care
Biological Cycle
Chapter 8One of the two cycles of a circular economy. Also called 'technological cycle' or 'technology cycle'
Biomimicry
Chapter 8Imitating biological principles and practice
Biosphere
Chapter 7Layers of the earth, the coeans and the atmosphere in which life is impossible
Bitumen
Chapter 7Sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. See: oil sand
Bottom-up
Chapter 1Approach in which initiatives are taken by individuals or groups of individuals, in their own initiative. When many people participate, this can have huge effects. The opposite of top-down.
Brundtland Commission
Chapter 1See: World Commission on Environment and Development
C
C2C
Chapter 8See: Cradle to cradle (C2C)
Cap-and-trade system
Chapter 7See: Emission Trading System (ETS)
Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
Chapter 7Storing carbon dioxide underground
Carbon footprint
Chapter 7Measure of the CO2 emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels, or reducing CO2 uptake for example by deforestation, expressed as a component of the ecological footprint (qv)
Carbon sink
Chapter 7Natural or artificial reservoir in which CO2 is absorbed and stored
Causal relationship
Chapter 7See: Cause-effect relationship
Cause-effect relationship
Chapter 7Relationship between events which occur consecutively in time, for which the earlier event is seen as the cause of the later, which is seen as the result of the earlier event
Caux Round Table
Chapter 8International network of senior executives from major companies, who together reflect on societal guidelines for business. See also: kyosei; human dignity
CFC's
Chapter 6See: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s)
Chain
Chapter 8Series of steps that make up the life cycle (qv) of a product, from extraction through the production and use to the waste phase, including - if any - the feedback into the chain through reuse or recycling. See also: integral chain management.
Chaotic behaviour
Chapter 7Behavior of a system (e.g. a gas, a crowd, the atmosphere, a computer, Internet) that is complex and disorderly to such a degree that it is completely unpredictable
Child labour
Chapter 2Employment of children in economic or domestic work in a way that is harmful to the child, exceeding a minimum number of hours, depending on the age of a child and on the type of work (definition by UNICEF)
Child soldier
Chapter 3Any person under 18 years of age who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to cooks, porters, messengers and anyone accompanying such groups, other than family members, including girls recruited for sexual purposes and for forced marriage. (Cape Town Principles, UNICEF 1997)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s)
Chapter 6Certain chemical compounds that have a strong destructive effect on the ozone layer and contribute to global warming
CHP
Chapter 7See: Cogeneration
Circular economy
Chapter 8Regenerative system in which resource input and waste, emission, and energy leakage are minimised by slowing, closing, and narrowing material and energy loops
CITES
Chapter 4See: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Citizen
Chapter 4One of three main roles an individual can have within society: someone feeling a responsibility towards society, and acts accordingly. See also: Consumer, Professional
Civil society
Chapter 4Complex system of empowered and active people and organizations in society, including NGOs, churches, schools and universities, continuing or one-time action groups and individual citizens
Climate refugee
Chapter 7Someone who left the original home and residential area, fleeing from conditions caused by climate change such as drought or floods
Closed cycle
Chapter 2Closed loop in which the resources used for the production of goods return to their origin, e.g. through recycling, decreasing the amount of resources that are lost. The opposite is one-way traffic
Club of Rome
Chapter 6Scientific group, founded in 1968, that brought the issue of sustainable development to a strong attention by politicians and society
CO2 equivalent
Chapter 7Unit for the radiative forcing (qv) of a greenhouse gas (qv), compared with that of CO2. The value for CO2 is 1 by definition
Cogeneration
Chapter 7Utilizing the heat generated in electricity production, created in specially designed facilities. Also called: Combined heat and power (CHP)
Collapse
Chapter 6Rapid reversal of trends in a system, such that previously orderly developments turn into chaotic processes with disastrous consequences
Combined heat and power (CHP)
Chapter 7See: Cogeneration
Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD)
Chapter 4Commission, established in 1992 following the UNCED, which is responsible for reviewing progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, as well as providing policy guidance to follow up the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) at the local, national, regional and international levels
Complex system
Chapter 7System exhibiting some properties as a whole that can not be deduced from the properties of each component separately
Concentrated solar power (CSP)
Chapter 7System generating solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight, or solar thermal energy, onto a small area
Conference of the Parties (COP)
Chapter 7Annual conference held in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Consensus
Chapter 4Result of a group decision making process that seeks the agreement of all participants
Consequence period
Chapter 5The time it takes before all consequences of a decision have faded away
Consequence scope
Chapter 5Overall volume of people, nature and the environment experiencing the consequences of a decision, a practice or a lifestyle
Consumer
Chapter 4One of three main roles an individual can have within society: someone who purchases and uses products and services. See also: Citizen, Professional
Control
Chapter 1Paradigm according to which an attempt is made to control the forces of nature or of the human nature with power and force
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Chapter 4Multilateral treaty, aiming to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild, according varying degrees of protection to many species of animals and plants
Copenhagen Accord
Chapter 7International agreement on climate change, concluded at a conference in Copenhagen in 2009 (COP15)
Corporate governance
Chapter 8Good governance of a company, including integrity and transparency, proper supervision and accountability
Corporate mission
Chapter 8See: Mission
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Chapter 8Conscientiously embracing responsibility for the positive or negative social impacts of a company's activities
Correlation
Chapter 7Coherence between two phenomena, such that both increase or decrease simultaneously, or (negative correlation) one increases while the other decreases
Cradle to cradle (C2C)
Chapter 8Principle of a closed loop or life cycle (qv)
Crash
Chapter 2Sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a significant cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth
CSD
Chapter 4See: Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD)
CSR
Chapter 8See: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Cycle
Chapter 2See: Life cycle; Closed cycle; Cradle to cradle
D
Dalits
Chapter 5Self-designation for a group of people in India traditionally regarded as Untouchables. Also called Outcastes
Debt slave
Chapter 5Someone who is not legally a slave, but lives like one, due a debt to a company he / she works for, that can never be repaid or only in many years
Debt trap
Chapter 3Situation where a country, an organisation or an individual adds new debts in order to pay existing ones, through which the total amount of debts and of interests increases to levels where it becomes difficult or impossible to pay them off
Decommissioning
Chapter 7Demolition phase of a nuclear power plant, including all the necessary organizational, legal and technical activities
Dehumanisation
Chapter 3Process or state in which persons are considered as economic entities rather than as human beings, and where contacts between humans become less personal thanks to the replacement of humans by machines, cameras etc., leading to feelings of alienation and a loss of personal dignity and involvement in society
Dematerialisation
Chapter 3Economic concept of reducing the quantity of materials required to serve economic functions (doing more with less)
Depillarization
Chapter 4Process of weakening or vanishing societal segregation based on religious or ideological devides
Design for disassembly (DFD)
Chapter 8Design of a product in a way that, at the end of the user phase, it can easily be disassembled into parts, resulting in a maximum of parts that can be reused
DFD
Chapter 8See: Design for disassembly (DFD)
Diversity
Chapter 4Variety, e.g. between people, cultures and species
DJSI
Chapter 8See: Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI)
Doubling time
Chapter 6Time a growth process needs to reach twice the original size. With exponential growth, the doubling time is constant
Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI)
Chapter 8International stock market indicator for large companies, indicating the level of sustainable of businesses
Downcycling
Chapter 8Recycling materials in a way where the original quality is reduced
E
Earth Charter
Chapter 4International declaration of fundamental values and principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century
Earth Summit
Chapter 3See: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)
Eco points
Chapter 8See: Eco-indicator
Eco-bridge
Chapter 4See: Wildlife crossing
Ecoduct
Chapter 4See: Wildlife crossing
Eco-indicator
Chapter 8Figure representing the total environmental impact of a particular product throughout its life cycle, expressed as (milli-) eco points. The number is established by combining the results of a life cycle assessment (qv), using weight factors to add them
Ecological footprint
Chapter 2Measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems, expressing the natural capital that is used a human population to produce resources and to mitigate waste in 'global hectares' of biologically productive land and sea area. See also: biocapacity; carbon footprint
Ecological network
Chapter 1Interconnected network of extant and yet to be created nature reserves in a country or region
Ecological rucksack
Chapter 8Sum of all resources, processes and emissions that were needed to manufacture a particular product
ECOMOG
Chapter 5See: ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG)
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Chapter 5Group of 15 countries in West Africa south of the Sahara, which seek a union similar to the European Union
Economic extractability
Chapter 7Situation where resources are not only technically recoverable, but in which extraction is also profitable
Economic refugees
Chapter 3Refugees fleeing for economic reasons, i.e. the inability to provide an acceptable income
Ecosystem
Chapter 2Biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving (abiotic), physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight
ECOWAS
Chapter 5See: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG)
Chapter 5Multilateral armed force established by the ECOWAS
EEA
Chapter 5See: European Environment Agency (EEA)
EIR
Chapter 5See: Environmental Impact Reporting (EIR)
El Niño
Chapter 7Change in the weather patterns in large parts of the world, occurring once every three to seven years because of changes in the pattern of wind currents over the Pacific Ocean
Electric cars
Chapter 7Automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries
Emission allowances
Chapter 7Tradeable allowances for companies to emit greenhouse gases, based on the Emission Trading System (ETS)
Emission Trading System (ETS)
Chapter 7Market-based approach used to control climate change by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases. Also called: cap-and-trade system
Emissions
Chapter 7Release of substances, e.g. into the atmosphere or into surface water
Empowerment
Chapter 4Process or state in which an individual is able and authorized to think, behave, take action, and control work and decision making in autonomous ways, based on a feeling of self-awareness and control of one's own destiny
End-of-pipe technology
Chapter 5Technology that does not prevent the causes of environmental damage but fights its effects during a production or application process, for example by placing filters on chimneys or charge pipes
Energy recovery
Chapter 8Burning of waste, where the energy is regained
Energy Roadmap 2050
Chapter 7EU agreement of 2011 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% in 2020, 40% in 2030, 60% in 2040, and 80% to 95% in 2050, compared to 1990 emissions
Environmental accounting
Chapter 3Method of calculating financial results, such as the GNP, that include environmental damage and the depletion of stocks, resulting in a 'Green GNP'
Environmental Impact Reporting (EIR)
Chapter 5Assessment of the potential environmental impacts resulting from the construction and operation of a proposed project
Environmental, social and governance (ESG)
Chapter 8Three main aspects of sustainability and corporate social responsibility: environmental, social and governance
Erosion
Chapter 5Process by which material is removed from a region of the Earth's surface, e.g. due to transport by wind or water
ESG
Chapter 8See: Environmental, social and governance (ESG)
ETS
Chapter 7See: Emission Trading System (ETS)
EU
Chapter 5See: European Union (EU)
EU-MENA
Chapter 7Europe, the Middle East and North Africa
European Commission
Chapter 5Executive body of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions and general day-to-day running of the Union
European Court of Human Rights
Chapter 4Supra-national court, established by the European Convention on Human Rights, acting when a member nation has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols, according to a citizen of that nation or to another nation
European Environment Agency (EEA)
Chapter 5Agency of the European Union devoted to establishing a monitoring network for the monitoring of the European environment
European Union
Chapter 5Economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe
Eutrophication
Chapter 5Process by which a body of water acquires a high concentration of nutrients, typically leading to excessive growth of algae
Exponential growth
Chapter 6Growth with a fixed rate per unit time, uninhibited growth. In this type of growth the doubling time is constant.
Extensification
Chapter 7Reducing energy consumption by technical means due to improvement of the efficiency of the energy use
Extinction
Chapter 2Total disappearance of a species due to the death of its last individual, either locally or globally
Extinction peak
Chapter 2Period of mass extinction, in which animal and plant species become extinct at an unusually high rate in a relatively short period of time
Extractability
Chapter 7See: Economic extractability
F
Fair share
Chapter 2Size of an ecological footprint a person, company or country may used in such a way that the available biocapacity is shared fairly and not exceeded
FAO
Chapter 4See: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Feedback
Chapter 2Situation where effects of a process or development influence the same process or development
Flaw in the fabric
Chapter 2Unsustainability problem that is inextricably linked in the fabric of the global human system
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Chapter 4specialised agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Chapter 4Independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world's forests. Owner of the FSC certificate
Fracking
Chapter 7Process in which liquid is injected at high pressure into subterranean rocks, crushing them and releasing natural gas
FSC
Chapter 4See: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
FSC certification
Chapter 4Voluntary, market-based certificate for wood and other forest products, aiming at guaranteeing that the products are from responsibly managed forests
Futurology
Chapter 6Science of investigating possible, probable, and preferable future developments
G
G20
Chapter 3Intergovernmental forum of twenty leading economic powers: 19 countries and the EU, together comprising more than 85% of the global GNP. See also: G8
G8
Chapter 3Intergovernmental forum of eight leading industrial nations. See also: G20
Gandhi, Mohandas (‘Mahatma’)
Chapter 5Famous spiritual leader and politician (1869 - 1948) in India,considered as the Father of the Nation. His leadership, based on the principles of 'ahimsa' and 'satyagraha' (nonviolent resistance), lead to India's independence in 1947
GE
Chapter 1See: Genetically modified (GM) organism (GMO)
Genetically engineered (GE)
Chapter 1See: Genetically modified (GM) organism (GMO)
Genetically modified (GM) organism (GMO)
Chapter 1Organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Also called: Genetically Engineered (GE)
Genocide
Chapter 3The intent and action to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, by killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction, imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group, or forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. (Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, 1948)
Gha
Chapter 2See: Global hectare (Gha)
Global civil society
Chapter 4Civil society that is organized cross-border, partly thanks to the internet, thus creating a counterbalance to the growing influence of countries, international organizations and multinational companies
Global extinction
Chapter 2Extinction in the entire world, which can never be undone
Global hectare (Gha)
Chapter 2Unit in which the ecological footprint and the biocapacity are expressed
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Chapter 8See: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Global warming
Chapter 7See: Greenhouse effect
GM
Chapter 1See: Genetically modified (GM) organism (GMO)
GMO
Chapter 1See: Genetically modified (GM) organism (GMO)
GNP per capita
Chapter 3GNP of a country divided by the number of people in that country. Considered as a measure for the (average) wealth of a nation.
Green GNP
Chapter 3See: environmental accounting
Green power
Chapter 7Electricity generated from renewable energy
Greenhouse effect
Chapter 7Phenomenon in which the temperature on Earth increases, due to the presence of certain gases in the atmosphere that cause the Earth's heat to be less easily radiated to the cosmos, causing global warming
Greenhouse gases
Chapter 7Main gases responsible for the greenhouse effect, e.g. carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), water vapor (H2O) and various fluoride compounds, including CFC's and HFC's. See also: radiative forcing: CO2 equivalent
GRI
Chapter 81. Globally recognized standard method for companies to report about the CSR aspects of their activities. 2. Organization that developed and manages this standard
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Chapter 1Value of all the goods and services produced in an economy, plus the value of the goods and services imported, less the goods and services exported
Growth resources
Chapter 2See: renewable resources
Gulf Stream
Chapter 7The part of the thermohaline circulation (qv) in the Atlantic Ocean
H
Habitat
Chapter 2Natural environment of an organism or ecological community
Habitat loss
Chapter 2Diminishment, quality loss or disappearance of a habitat
HFC's
Chapter 7See: Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC's)
HFI
Chapter 3See: Human Freedom Index (HFI)
Hippocratic Oath
Chapter 8Oath or pledge that medical students take upon graduation
Holistic approach
Chapter 3View in which a system is considered as a whole, having characteristics that cannot be described or understood by just considering the constituing elements. Opposite of an analytic approach
Hubbert peak
Chapter 7See: Peak oil
Human dignity
Chapter 8Business principle: the sacredness or value of each person is an goal in itself, not simply as a means to the fulfilment of others' purposes or even of a majority. See also: Caux Round Table
Human Freedom Index (HFI)
Chapter 3Number expressing the rate of freedom of individuals in a country, defined by UNDP, to be found in the Human Development Reports
Human Rights Watch
Chapter 5International non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights
Hybrid cars
Chapter 7Car withs two engines, a combustion engine and an electric motor, having a substantially lower fuel consumption
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC's)
Chapter 7Certain chemical compounds related to chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s, qv) having comparable destructive effects
Hydrogen economy
Chapter 7Economy and society in which, thanks to a transition process, hydrogen has become a primary fuel
I
ICC
Chapter 4See: International UN Criminal Court (ICC)
IGO
Chapter 4See: Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO)
ILO
Chapter 4See: International Labour Organization (ILO)
IMF
Chapter 4See: International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Incomparable
Chapter 8Impossible to weigh against each other, in the case of a choice between alternatives whose significance is not comparable, "comparing apples to oranges"
Indirect land use change (ILUC)
Chapter 7Unintentional effect of biofuel development, pushing deforestation into new areas
Industrialisation
Chapter 2Process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one
Infrastructure
Chapter 1Basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including schools and post offices
Inhibited growth
Chapter 6Growth that, perhaps after a period of unrestrained growth, is limited by environmental factors and thus slows down until a stable level may be reached
Integral chain management
Chapter 8Efforts of companies to manage the full life cycle of a product, in order to minimize the environmental impact
Integral healthcare
Chapter 8Form of health care that aims to align all aspects of care, both medical and psychosocial
Interdisciplinary
Chapter 4Cooperation within a team composed of experts from various disciplines, such that the combination of their skills renders more or different results than when each of them would work separately
Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO)
Chapter 4Organization composed primarily of sovereign nations, or of other intergovernmental organizations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Chapter 7See: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
International Criminal Court (ICC)
Chapter 4Permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Chapter 4Specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Chapter 4Intergovernmental organization that oversees the global financial system by taking part in the macroeconomic policies of its established members, in particular those with an impact on exchange rate and the balance of payments
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Chapter 2International organization dedicated to the conservation of nature and the protection of natural habits. Maintains the Red List
IPCC
Chapter 7Scientific intergovernmental body, established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), tasked with reviewing and assessing the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change
IUCN
Chapter 2See: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
J
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)
Chapter 4UN section leading and supporting the response to HIV and AIDS, including preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support to those already living with HIV, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV and alleviating the impact of the epidemic
Just in time (JIT)
Chapter 8Production process where materials and components are made available at the moment they are needed, thus reducing storage costs
K
Kyosei
Chapter 8Business principle: living and working together for the common good enabling cooperation and mutual prosperity to coexist with healthy and fair competition. See also: Caux Round Table
Kyoto Protocol
Chapter 4Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aimed at fighting global warming
L
Lag
Chapter 6See: System lag
LCA
Chapter 8See: Life cycle assessment (LCA)
LCCA
Chapter 8See: Life-Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA)
Lewisian turning-point
Chapter 5Moment at which a shortage of labour forces leads to a sharp increase of salaries
Life cycle
Chapter 8Complete history of a product - from raw materials extraction, through production, shipping, sales and use by consumers, to the waste phase, including recycling, reuse and dumping. See also: Chain
Life cycle assessment (LCA)
Chapter 8Method to determine the total environmental impact of a particular product, paying attention to the full lifecycle. The result is a series of numbers representing the different types of environmental damage and depletion of scarce resources. See also: Eco-indicator; Life-Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA)
Life-Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA)
Chapter 8Method to determine the total financial impact of a particular product, paying attention to its full life cycle. Equivalent of a Life Cycle Assessment (qv), but paying attention to financial costs instead of environmental ones
Lifelong learning
Chapter 8Voluntary participation in formal or informal learning for personal or professional development during a considerable part of one's life
Limits to growth
Chapter 6Title of a book by Meadows et al (1972), addressed to the Club of Rome. The book, which received a lot of attention, was based on the 'World3' simulation model, developed by the authors , with which scenarios can be studied for possible future development of the global ecosystem and society
Linear processes
Chapter 7Processes in which the effects are directly proportional to their causes. See also: non-linear processes
Local Agenda 21
Chapter 4Action plans for local areas, such as (parts of) municipalities, based on Agenda 21
Local extinction
Chapter 2Extinction in a certain region or habitat. May later be undone when specimens from elsewhere inhabit the region
Logistic growth
Chapter 6Inhibited growth, following a certain mathematical model
M
MA
Chapter 6See: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA)
Malthus, Thomas
Chapter 6In 1798, Malthus wrote about the danger of an exponential population growth, for with the growth of food production would have to stay behind sooner or later
Market Stability Reserve (MSR)
Chapter 7System in which emission allowances can be added to, or taken from the auctioning market, in order to create stable prices
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Chapter 8Theory in psychology about needs and motivations of humans, designed by Abraham Maslow, often portrayed in the shape of a pyramid, with the largest and most fundamental levels of needs at the bottom, and the need for self-actualization at the top
MDG's
Chapter 4See: Millennium Development Goals (MDG's)
Mechanisation
Chapter 2Development where processes performed or powered by humans or animals are replaced with processes performed or powered by mechanical devices
Microcredit
Chapter 4Small loans designed to spur entrepreneurship for individuals who lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history, and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit
Migration
Chapter 7Displacement of people, animals or plants into new areas
Millennium Development Goals (MDG's)
Chapter 4Set of eight international development goals that all UN member states and several international organizations agreed to achieve between 2000 and 2015
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA)
Chapter 6Large-scale investigation into all aspects of sustainable development, conducted by over 1300 scientists from various disciplines.
Mission
Chapter 8Essence of an organization, the reason why it exists. Often defined in a 'mission statement'
Model
Chapter 6Simplified representation of reality or a part thereof
Montreal Protocol
Chapter 4Protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer: an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances responsible for depletion of the ozone layer
Multifunctional use of space
Chapter 1Combination of different socio-economic functions in the same area, aiming at dealing with land scarcity
N
Nanotechnology
Chapter 6Technology that seeks to develop devices with a size near one nanometer (one millionth of a millimeter), such as engines, computers, robots, energy generators
National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD)
Chapter 4Concrete implementation of Agenda 21 by an individual country
Natura 2000
Chapter 4Ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union, connected through wildlife crossings
Natural equilibrium
Chapter 2Stable situation in an ecosystem
Natural greenhouse effect
Chapter 7Greenhouse effect due to natural causes, not by human activities, already existing for hundreds of millions of years
Network
Chapter 4Group of organizations and individuals in mutual interaction, relationships and communication
New Entrants Reserve (NER)
Chapter 7Reserve, made by the EU, aiming at funding the deployment of innovative renewable energy technologies and carbon capture and storage
NGO
Chapter 4See: Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)
Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)
Chapter 4Legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government
Non-linear processes
Chapter 7Processes in which the size the effects is not directly proportional to their causes, e.g. increasing or decreasing faster or slower as the causes vary, which may have unexpected implications. See also: linear processes
Normative integration
Chapter 3Process or condition of acceptance of generally accepted values and norms in a given society, especially by foreigners
Novel protein food
Chapter 4Food with a high protein content, produced with modern techniques from plants, yeast or fungi, that is suitable as a meat substitute
NSSD
Chapter 4See: National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD)
Nuclear fission
Chapter 7Physical process in which heavy atomic nuclei such as uranium, plutonium or thorium are split in order to generate energy
Nuclear fusion
Chapter 7Physical process by which atomic nuclei of hydrogen are combined in order to to generate energy
O
Oil sand
Chapter 7Sand or partially consolidated sandstone, saturated with bitumen. Also known as tar sand or bituminous sand
One-child policy
Chapter 5Strict family planning policy according to which every family is allowed only one child, aiming at reducing population growth
One-way traffic
Chapter 2Process that is not closed, in which the resources used for the production of goods don't return to their origin, this creating a shortage in one place and a surplus in another. The opposite is a cycle.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Chapter 4International economic organisation stimulating economic progress and world trade: a forum of countries committed to democracy and the market economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices, and co-ordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Outcastes
Chapter 5See: Dalits
Outsourcing
Chapter 5Contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider, in many cases in another country
Overexploitation
Chapter 2Harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns, possibly leading to the destruction of the resource
Ozone layer
Chapter 6Upper layer of the stratosphere, at an altitude of about 50 km, whit a relatively high ozone (O3) concentration
P
Paradigm
Chapter 1Term representing an entire way of thinking in one word
Paradigm shift
Chapter 1Development during which certain paradigms, previously determining the dominantr world view, disappear or change drastically, to be replaced with entirely new paradigms
Paris Agreement
Chapter 7International agreement on climate change, concluded at a conference in Paris in 2015 (COP21)
Participation
Chapter 4Taking part or sharing in activities, processes, groups or society in general, as an accepted, valued and self-aware member
Participatory democracy
Chapter 4Societal system in which many people and civilian organizations are actively engaged in opinion-and decision-making, not only through a parliament and voting, but also through various forms of participation
Particulate matter
Chapter 8Tiny parts of solid matter suspended in a gas or liquid. See also: Aerosols
Peak oil
Chapter 7Moment when the total economically extractable world oil supply has reached its maximum, after which it declines
People
Chapter 1One of the three main aspects of sustainability, cencerning topics like culture, human rights, participation, education, health, empowerment. See also: planet, profit, Triple P
Per capita
Chapter 3"per head", i.e. per person
Phytoplankton
Chapter 7Photosynthesizing organisms in plankton, mainly unicellular algae and cyanobacteria
Planet
Chapter 1One of the three main aspects of sustainability, cencerning topics like biodiversity, environment, nature. See also: people, profit, Triple P
Political refugees
Chapter 3Refugees fleeing for political reasons, i.e. for e fear of being persecuted for reasons of a political nature
Population ageing
Chapter 5Increase in the number and proportion of older people in society, mainly due to longer life expectancy and decreased birth rate
Population explosion
Chapter 5Rapid increase in the size of a population in a relatively short period of time
Poverty
Chapter 3State of a person who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. See: relative poverty; absolute poverty.
Poverty trap
Chapter 3A state in which self-reinforcing mechanisms (positive feedback) cause poverty to persist or even to worsen
PPP
Chapter 3See: (1) Triple P; (2) Purchasing Power Parity; (3) Public-Private Partnership
PPP dollars
Chapter 3Unity in which purchasing power parity is expressed
Precautionary principle
Chapter 7Principle that policy decisions are based on the prevention of certain undesired effects, even if the occurrence of these effects in the absemce of such decisions is not sure
Prisoner’s Dilemma
Chapter 5Aspect of game theory that shows why two individuals, organizations or countries might not agree, even if appears that it is best to do so
Professional
Chapter 4One of three main roles an individual can have within society: someone who contributes to society by particpating in the delivery of products or services. See also: Citizen, Consumer
Profit
Chapter 1One of the three main aspects of sustainability, cencerning topics like investments, profitability, economic stability, GNP. See also: people, planet, Triple P and prosperity
Prosperity
Chapter 1Term proposed as a replacement of 'profit' in the Triple P, enlarging the concept to incomes and welfare of individuals, families, local communities
Public-private partnership (PPP)
Chapter 4Partnership in which public organizations (governments and NGOs) cooperate with private companies, to the benefit of both
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
Chapter 3Method of recalculating incomes, correcting for local price level, thus expressing the real purchasing power of people. The recalculated income is expressed in PPP 'dollars'
R
Radiative forcing
Chapter 7Degree to which a particular substance influences the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing thermal radiation, thus 'pushing up' the Earth's temperature. See also: greenhouse gases; CO2 equivalent
Radioactive waste
Chapter 7Materials containing or contaminated with radioactive isotopes, at concentrations higher than the minimum measurable concentration, for which no practical applications are known
Real GNP
Chapter 3Version of the GNP that has been adjusted for the effects of inflation
Rebound effect
Chapter 1Effect occurring when the success of certain actions has side-effects that diminish or even cancel the positive results, or perhaps even cause the opposite
Recycling
Chapter 1Processing used materials (waste) into new products
Red list of threatened species
Chapter 2Inventory, maintained by the IUCN, of the global conservation status of biological species, e.g. describing species that are conservation dependent, threatened or extinct
Redefining the corporate mission
Chapter 8Abandoning existing ideas about the mission of a company and determining from scratch why the company exists
Refugee
Chapter 3Person who has been pushed away from his or her home and seeks refuge elsewhere, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, or fleeing from war or other violence
Relative poverty
Chapter 3Lack of wealth and income of a person relative to other people or groups in the same environment or country, making it impossible to live according to accepted habits, values and standards in that environment or that country
Renewable resources
Chapter 2Resources that are replaced or replenished by natural processes. Also called growth resources
RESFIA+D
Chapter 8Schedule of six general professional competences for sustainable development, each with three sub-competences, plus disciplinary competencies that are specific to each course or profession
Resource
Chapter 2Something, such as a forest, a mineral deposit, or fresh water, that is found in nature and is necessary or useful to humans
Responsibility
Chapter 5Task or duty to care for something or someone. Is often wrongly equated with accountability (qv)
Reuse
Chapter 1Processing components of used products into new products
Rio
Chapter 4See: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)
Rio Declaration
Chapter 4Full name: Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. A document produced at the UNCED (1992), consisting of 27 principles intended to guide future sustainable development around the world
Rising sea levels
Chapter 7Increase in sea level, either because the water level in the oceans is rising ('absolute sea level rise'), or because the land falls ('relative sea level rise')
Robust trend
Chapter 6Trend that can be expected to persist, even when strong changes in related areas occur
Room for the river
Chapter 1Dutch program aiming at lowering the risks of flooding by river water by giving more space to the rivers and restoring their original natural state
Rucksack model
Chapter 8See: Ecological rucksack
S
Salinisation
Chapter 2Accumulation of salts in the soil
Scenario
Chapter 6A scenario of a play or movie is a description of the scenes of which the story consists. A future scenario is a description of the events that might take place in a possible future
Schengen Agreement
Chapter 5Treaty between most members of the European Union, creating a borderless zone across large parts of Europe
Second generation biofuels
Chapter 7Biofuels from waste from forestry and agriculture, such as wood chips and straw from corn and grain
Second generation immigrants
Chapter 3First-generation descendants of immigrants to a certain nation, themselves being born in this nations
SEEA
Chapter 3See: System of integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA)
Segregation
Chapter 3Creation or escalation of separate groups within a society, in such a way that it is detrimental to the social cohesion
Shareholder value
Chapter 8Value of a company for its shareholders (stockholders). See also: Stakeholder value
Simulation
Chapter 6Imitation of reality in the form of a model, usually constructed as a computer program
Slash and burn
Chapter 7Land use by farmers, where they repeatedly clear new land by burning off the forest after their own lands were exhausted through intensive cultivation
Small or medium sized enterprise (SME)
Chapter 4The EU defines businesses with fewer than 50 employees as small, and less than 250 employees as medium sized entreprises
SME
Chapter 4See: Small or medium sized enterprise (SME)
Social exclusion
Chapter 3Situation in which individuals or communities are systematically blocked from rights, opportunities and resources that are normally available to members of society and which are key to social integration
Soil erosion
Chapter 5See: Erosion
Source of vigour
Chapter 4Strength within a society, a person or an ecosystem providing opportunities for sustainable development
Space
Chapter 1One of the two dimensions of sustainable development: also described as 'here and there'. Focuses on the fair distribution of prosperity and well-being across the world. See: Time
SSA
Chapter 3See: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Stakeholder
Chapter 4Person or group having some interest in a particular process, conversation, event, development etc.
Stakeholder analysis
Chapter 5Research into who has interests in a specific project, process or business, either positive or negative ones
Stakeholder value
Chapter 8Value of a company for all of those who hqave ab interest in it, either positive or negative. See also: Shareholder value
Standard scenario
Chapter 6Development of a society according to a certain, more or less fixed pattern, which has occurred in reality in several cultures and historic episodes
Stewardship cessation
Chapter 7Termination of supervision, in particular of radioactive waste that is stored in such a way that it is supposed to be safe forever
Stigmatisation
Chapter 3Attribution of negative characteristics to people based on expectations about the group the person belongs to
Stratosphere
Chapter 7Layer of the atmosphere between about 15 and 50 km altitude
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Chapter 3Area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara
Substitution
Chapter 4, 8Replacement of single-use or scarce resources by less scarce resources such as renewable materials or energy
Sustainable development
Chapter 1Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's)
Chapter 4Set of seventeen international development goals that all UN member states and several international organizations agreed to achieve between 2015 and 2030
Sustainable energy
Chapter 7Form of energy generation that (by human standards) can be continued indefinitely, and causing a minimum of damage to people, cultures, nature and environment
Sustainable product development
Chapter 8Design of a product in a manner that takes into account the interests of sustainable development
Sustainable society
Chapter 1Imaginary society that has realised sustainable development completely. In reality, such a society will probebnly never be realised, as solutions to present problems will always create new ones. Nevertheless, if sustainable development is successful, a sustainable society will be approached more and more
Sustainable tourism
Chapter 4Form of tourism that attempts to minimize damage to nature and environment and to local cultures, while contributing to the awareness of tour operators and tourists
System boundary
Chapter 7State in which a system is on the border between a stable and an unstable situation, where a trend break may immediately lead to a different, often unpredictable situation
System lag
Chapter 6Slowness with which a system responds to changes or external influences, e.g. due to physical factors ro to slow human decision processes
System of integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA)
Chapter 3Well-known method for environmental accounting
T
Tar
Chapter 7Viscous liquid of hydrocarbons and free carbon. See: oil sand
Technical Cycle
Chapter 8One of the two cycles of a circular economy. Also called 'technological cycle' or 'technology cycle'
Thermohaline circulation
Chapter 7Extensive flow of seawater through the oceans, flowing on the surface of the Pacific and Indian Ocean to the North Atlantic, and conversely on the ocean floor. See also: Gulf Stream
Three capitals
Chapter 4Three forms of wealth and resilience a society possesses: people, nature and environment, economy
Time
Chapter 1One of the two dimensions of sustainable development: also described as 'now and later'. Focuses on the ability of future generations to maintain an acceptable level of prosperity and well-being. See: Space
Top-down
Chapter 1Approach in which initiatives are taken and decisions are made at a high level, e.g. governments, international organizations, boards of companies, usually with consequences for many people. The opposite of bottom-up.
Trade-off
Chapter 6Situation where an increase in output of specific ecosystem services (notably food) leads to degradation of other services. Exchange often takes place in conjunction with transfer (qv), where the increase in services to benefit certain groups and the decline of other services has implications for other groups
Tragedy of the Commons
Chapter 5Dilemma arising from the situation in which multiple individuals, acting independently and rationally consulting their own self-interest, will ultimately deplete a shared limited resource, even when it is clear that it is not in anyone's long-term interest for this to happen
Transdisciplinary
Chapter 4Cooperation in an interdisciplinary team, which also includes people who do not participate because of a particular discipline, but because of their practical experience, personal stake or any other form of involvement.
Transfer
Chapter 3Shifting the negative effects of a lifestyle to others, such as environmental damage or depletion of resources. This may involve transferring problems toward people in other countries, people in future generations, or people in the own environment in a different social group. See also: trade-off
Transition
Chapter 1Fundamental change to a system, based on a paradigm shift
Transition management
Chapter 4Guidance to transitions, not by controlling the transition process from a central management but going through an adaptation process guided by a cooperation network
Transparency
Chapter 8Open display and accountability of companies for what they do, through the disclosure of internal data towards employees, governments, NGOs, the press, in short, to society, e.g. in the form of social reports and websites
Trend break
Chapter 6Sudden sharp change in what until recently was a trend
Trend extrapolation
Chapter 6The extension of a trend into the future, assuming that the trend will continue for some time
Trend shift
Chapter 6Gradual change of a trend
Triple bottom line
Chapter 1Triple P, expressed as a term commonly used by companies to describe an aspect of the company mission
Triple P
Chapter 1The three main aspects of sustainable development: people, planet. profit. See also: prosperity, triple bottom line
Troposphere
Chapter 7Lowest layer of the atmosphere, to about 10 to 15 km altitude
Tsunami
Chapter 5Massive water wave caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water following an earthquake under the sea floor
U
UNAIDS
Chapter 4See: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)
UNCED
Chapter 4See: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)
UNDESD
Chapter 4See: United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD)
UNDP
Chapter 3See: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
UNEP
Chapter 4See: United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
UNESCO
Chapter 4See: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
UNFCC
Chapter 7See: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
UNICEF
Chapter 4See: United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Uninhibited growth
Chapter 6See: Exponential growth
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Chapter 4UN section working for children's rights, their survival, development and protection, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (The abbreviation stands for 'United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund', a name that was replaced with the current, shorter name.)
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)
Chapter 4Major UN Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, where Agenda 21 was agreed. Also known as "Rio" and as the Earth Summit.
United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD)
Chapter 4Decade (2005 - 2015) for which the UN called for special attention to education for sustainable development
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Chapter 3Section of the United Nations aiming at improving the conditions of underdeveloped people
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Chapter 4UN section encouraging international peace and universal respect by promoting collaboration among nations
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
Chapter 4UN section coordinating environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Chapter 7International environmental treaty with the goal of achieving the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. See also: Kyoto Protocol
Unsustainability
Chapter 1Instable situation, in which causes exist that are not sustainable to such a level that the situation cannot stay the same indefinitely
W
Waste disposal fee
Chapter 1Money that consumers pay when buying electronic or meachnical devices, which is used for waste treatment
Waste hierarchy
Chapter 8Hierarchy of preferences within the technical cycle of a circular economy: maintenance and repairs; component reuse; recycling; energy recovery; landfill or emissions
WBCSD
Chapter 8See: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
WCED
Chapter 1See: World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED)
Weakly inhibited growth
Chapter 6Inhibited growth, for which the strength of the limiting factors is not strong, due to with the growth slows down only slightly. This may allow a growth overshoot beyond a situation where equilibrium is possible
Wei wu wei
Chapter 4Action without action': effective action, truly achieving something by the right kind of action on the right moment, without acting up, forcing, pushing through
What-if question
Chapter 6Thinking exercise in which assumptions are made for a possible scenario - e.g. on the nature of the applied model, of the initial conditions, or of external influences - after which the likely consequences are examined
Whistleblower
Chapter 8Person who informs the public or the authorities about alleged dishonest or illegal activities occurring in an organization, e.g. a government department or a company
WHO
Chapter 4See: World Health Organization (WHO)
Whole-Life Cost
Chapter 8Total cost of a product during its entire lifecycle, including environmetal costs
Wildlife crossing
Chapter 4Structures that allows animals to cross human-made barriers safely, such as underpass tunnels, viaducts (also called: ecoduct, eco-bridge), fish ladders
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Chapter 8International association of some 200 multinational companies that collectively focus on sustainability
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED)
Chapter 1Commission created by the United Nations to address growing concerns "about the accelerating deterioration of the human environment and natural resources and the consequences of that deterioration for economic and social development." Also called the Brundtland Commission.
World Health Organization (WHO)
Chapter 4Specialised agency of the UN acting as a coordinating authority on international public health
Z
Zero-energy building
Chapter 7Building where, on average over the year, no energy from elsewhere is needed, because at least as much internally generated energy is supplied to the external grid as is taken from that grid