Download Ecological and carbon footprints: Glossary of terms

Ecological and carbon footprints:
Glossary of terms
Abiotic
A non living component of an ecosystem e.g. sunlight
Anthropogenic
Produced by human activity
Agenda 21
A framework of political recommendations designed to protect the environment
and encourage nations to move towards achieving sustainable development in
the 21st Century.
Available
biological
capacity
The quantity of biologically productive space available for human use.
Biodiversity
The variety of life in all its forms, levels and combinations. Includes ecosystem,
species and genetic diversity.
Biodiversity
responsibility
The amount of biologically productive area a nation would need to set aside in
order for global biodiversity to be maintained. A figure of 12% is generally
accepted as the minimum requirement.
Biofuel
A fuel produced from dry organic matter or combustible oils produced by plants.
Examples of biofuel include alcohol (from fermented sugar), bio diesel from
vegetable oil and wood.
Biological
capacity
The total annual biological production capacity of a given biologically productive
area.
Biological
productivity
A measurement of biological production of a given area over a given time
period. A typical indicator of biological productivity is the annual biomass
accumulation of an ecosystem.
Biologically
productive area
The land and water area that is biologically productive.
Biomass
The total mass of all living organisms within a biological community.
Biosphere
The part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that
is capable of supporting life.
Biotic
The living components of an ecosystem.
Carbon dioxide
(CO2) A greenhouse gas produced through respiration and the decomposition
of organic substances. Combustion of fossil fuels is primarily responsible for
increased atmospheric concentrations of this gas.
Carbon footprint
A representation of the effect human activities have on the climate in terms of
the total amount of greenhouse gases produced (measured in units of carbon
dioxide).
Carbon
sequestration
Refers to the process by which atmospheric carbon is absorbed in to carbon
sinks such as the oceans, forests and soil.
Carrying capacity The total population an area is able to support given the quality of the natural
environment and the prevailing technology available.
Consumption
All the goods and services used by households.
Ecological deficit The amount by which the ecological footprint of a country or region exceeds the
biological capacity of the space available
Ecological
footprint
The area of land and water required to support a defined economy or human
population at a specified standard of living indefinitely, using prevailing
technology.
Ecosystem
The system of interactions between living organisms and their environment.
Embodied energy The energy used during the entire life cycle of a commodity i.e. manufacture,
transportation and disposal.
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Energy efficiency The more efficient use of energy in order to reduce economic costs and
environmental impacts. Using less energy/electricity to perform the same
function.
Finite
Limited or restricted in nature.
Food Miles
The number of miles food produce travels from ‘plough to plate’, that is from the
place of production to consumption.
Fossil fuel
A naturally occurring fuel rich in carbon and hydrogen formed by the
decomposition of pre historic organisms. Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas
and fuels made from crude oil such as petrol and diesel.
Fuel economy
The number of miles driven divided by the number of gallons consumed.
Global hectare
One hectare of biologically productive space adjusted to world average
biomass productivity allowing meaningful comparisons across regions to be
made.
Greenhouse
gases
Those gases present in the atmosphere that trap heat from the sun and warm
the earth. Such gases include carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrous
oxide, ozone and halocarbons.
Hectare
One hectare (Ha) is equivalent to 10, 000 square metres (100 x 100). This is
approximately the same size as full size football pitch.
Landfill
Essentially a cavity in the ground in to which refuse is disposed of. Once full
this is covered over and landscaped so as to appear as part of the surrounding
area.
Lifestyle
A person's pattern of living as expressed in his or her activities, interests, and
opinions.
LPG
Liquid Petroleum Gas.
Methane
(CH4) A colourless, odourless gas formed when organic matter anaerobically
decomposes. Methane is about 20 times more effective than carbon dioxide as
a greenhouse gas. Major sources include fermentation in ruminant animals,
decay of organic material in rice paddies and landfill.
Non-renewable
resource
A resource that is not replaced or only replaced very slowly by natural
processes.
Overshoot
The point where human consumption and waste production exceed nature’s
capacity to create new resources and absorb waste.
Per capita
For each person. Per head.
Recycling
The process by which discarded materials are collected, sorted, processed and
converted in to raw materials which are then used in the production of new
products.
Renewable
resource
A natural resource that can be replaced
Resource
A new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed.
Sustainable
Development
Has been defined as ‘Development which meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
Sustainability
Sustainability is effectively the goal of sustainable development. It is the ideal
end state which we must aspire.
Ton
One metric ton is equal to 1000 kilograms, approximately the weight of a small
family car.
Triple bottom line An expanded baseline for measuring performance, adding social and
environmental dimensions to the traditional monetary benchmark.
Ecological and Carbon Footprints
Education Department
Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers ©