People, Planet & Me Jargon Guide PDF

People, Planet and Me. Jargon Guide A Alternative Proteins – a general term that covers plant-based and food technology alternatives to regular animal protein. Animal Integration – by combining crops and livestock to co-exist together to create regeneration. A Afforestation –...

People, Planet and Me. Jargon Guide A Alternative Proteins – a general term that covers plant-based and food technology alternatives to regular animal protein. Animal Integration – by combining crops and livestock to co-exist together to create regeneration. A Afforestation – is the deliberate introduction of trees to land which hasn’t previously been forested. As trees grow, the quantity of carbon stored in their leaves, branches, trunk, bark and roots can be significant. When careful sites and species selection is considered, afforestation is an effective strategy for maximizing carbon sequestration. Agroforestry – combining trees, woody perennials, anuals and listsotk. The Agroforesty system enhances carbon sequestration whilst also sustainably producing food, fibre and forage. A Animal Integration – by combining crops and livestock to co-exist together to create regeneration. Anthropocene – the unofficial term for the period of time in which humanity has affected the Earth’s climate. A Anthropogenic – caused or produced by humans. Aquaculture (fish farming) – the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, algae and other organisms in water environments. There are two main categories: marine and freshwater. A Anthropogenic – caused or produced by humans. Aquaculture (fish farming) – the breeding, rearing and harvesting of fish, shellfish, algae ad other organisms in water environments. There are two main categories: marine and freshwater. A Atmosphere – The envelope of gases surrounding the earth, or any other object in space. The air in Earth’s atmosphere is made up of approximately 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Air also as a small amount of other gases too including carbon dioxide. B Baseline – a reference point/values that are used to measure change. For most organisations a baseline is the first year your measure your carbon footprint. Biochar – a charcoal-like material that can be made from waste organic matter by baking it in a low – or zero-oxygen environment. It is under investigation as a viable approach to carbon capture and storage. It can be used as a building material or a bioenergy fuel, or to enrich soils and help them to retain water. B Biodiversity – a broad term to describe the variety of life within a single ecosystem or habitat; in all forms and interactions. It is a measure of variation at the genetic, species and ecosystem level. Biomass – any organic matter that comes from plants and animals, such as cow dung, corn crops or wood chips that can be used for renewable energy. B Biofuels –the fuel that is derived from biomass. The UK considers biofuel renewable, but some scientists say it is not as it emits CO2. Black carbon – is a component of fine particles that cause air pollution and contributes to climate change. B Blockchain – a digital ledger that can record transactions between parties in a reliable way, stored on several computers across a peer-to-peer network, both, making it efficient and reducing the potential for error and corruption. Initially developed to enable cryptocurrencies (bitcoin) to operate efficiently. But the same technology can be use to trace supply chains to verify whether a product such as timber or tuna has come from a sustainable source. C Carbon budget – the amount of CO2 that a county, company or organisation has agreed is the most it will produce in a particular period of time to meet emission reduction targets. Carbon capture – the collection and transport of concentrated CO2 gas from large emission sources, such as power plants. C Carbon dioxide – is a chemical compound, also referred to as CO2 which is the formula of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. It is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere contributing to global warming. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is balanced through natural processes such as respiration of living things and photosynthesis, however, over the past 100 years, carbon dioxide has been added to the atmosphere quicker than it has been removed. Carbon emissions – relate to the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. There are both natural and human sources of carbon emissions but it is through human activities, like cement production and deforestation, that is driving the increases in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. Earth has specific natural CO2 concentrations and human activities have increased this beyond standard natural CO2 levels. C Carbon footprint – is the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organisation, group or community. Carbon intensity – the amount of carbon, by weight, emitted per unit of energy consumed. Carbon markets – one country pays for carbon emissions to be reduced in another country so the first country can count those reductions towards its national targets. This can also be at regional or company level, with those who are going to exceed a greenhouse cap are able to trade allowance from a company that will not reach the cap. Project trading can also happen with carbon offsetting. C Carbon footprint – is the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organisation, group or community. Carbon intensity – the amount of carbon, by weight, emitted per unit of energy consumed. C Carbon markets – one country pays for carbon emissions to be reduced in another country so the first country can count those reductions towards its national targets. This can also be at regional or company level, with those who are going to exceed a greenhouse cap are able to trade allowance from a company that will not reach the cap. Project trading can also happen with carbon offsetting. Carbon neutral – relates to the balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere in carbon sinks. C Carbon offsetting/credits - the practice of paying for carbon reduction or removal to compensate for emissions released elsewhere. This could be planting trees for taking a place and often involves a company funding a project elsewhere – restoring forests or developing renewable energy. Carbon sequestration – a natural or artificial process that removes carbon dioxide form the atmosphere. C Carbon sink – any system that absorbs more carbon than it emits. The main ones being soil, forests and oceans. Carbon tax – the amount those producing carbon must pay for each tonne of greenhouse gas emissions. C Carrying capacity – the maximum population size of a biological species that can be sustained in a specific environment, given the food, habitat, water and other resources available. Circular economy – a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. C Clean meat (cultured meat) – meat for consumption produced as a cell culture of animal cells rather than the traditional slaughter of animals. It is a form of cellular agriculture. Climate anxiety – sometimes known as ‘eco anxiety’ a type of anxiety which stems from the climate crisis. C Climate change – the large-scale and long-term shift in the planet’s weather patterns and average temperatures. Since the mid-1800’s, humans have contributed to the release of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, resulting in a rise of global temperatures and ultimately long-term changes to the climate. Climate crisis – a term used to show a greater sense of emergency and urgency about climate change. C Climate finance – local, national and transnational financing that seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions to address climate change. Climate justice – looking at the climate crisis through a human rights lens instead of purely a scientific one. It puts people and communities most vulnerable to the impact of climate change at its heart. C Conservancy – an area that aims to protect the natural habitat. It can also mean a protected area managed by a local community in a sustainable and economically viable manner. Conversion Factors – In order to report the greenhouse gas emissions associated with an organisation’s activities, the carbon emissions need to be converted into ‘activity data’ such as: distance travelled, litres of fuel used. The conversion factors provide the values to be used for such conversions. C COP 26 – The 26th UN Climate Change Conference which took place in Glasgow from 1 -12 November 2021. COP stands for Conference of the Parties. It brought together world leaders to agree on what action needs to take place to achieve the Paris Agreement goals and those of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. COP 27 – The 27th UN Climate Change Conference that is due to take place in Egypt from 6 – 18 November 2022. C CSR – stands for Corporate Social Responsibility – is the concept that companies must integrate social and environmental concerns into their business operations and the interactions they have with their stakeholders. D Deforestation – the human-driven and natural loss of trees. Demographic transition – a phenomenon occurring in nations in which there is a shift over time from high birth rates and high infant death rates in societies with minimal technology, education and economic development, to low birth rates and low death rates in societies with advanced technology, education and economic development. D Domestication – the process by which human beings assume a significant degree of influence over the reproduction and care of another species. Doughnut Model – a reinterpretation of the planetary boundaries model, developed by Kate Raworth – incorporating the basic needs of people as a social foundation, in addition to the existing ecological ceiling, and therefore defines a safe and just space for humanity. The idea is that we must keep below the ceiling, but not at the expense of the wellbeing of people. As such, it acts as a framework for sustainable development. E Earth System – the integrated geological, chemical, physical and biological system of planet Earth. For the entire period of the Holocene, this system has maintained a benign environment for life, relying upon the complementary interaction of air, water, ice, rock and life. The Earth system should continue to operate effectively and provide a benign environment as long as we keep within the planetary boundaries. Ecological Footprint – a measure of human impact on the environment – measures the quantity of nature it takes to support people or an economy and cope with our pollutants (greenhouse gases, and it is expressed as a unit of area, the global hectare.) Currently, we are demanding more global hectares than exists on Earth, hence the Great Decline. E Ecology – a branch of biology that studies the interactions and relationships between organisms and between organisms and their environment. Embodied carbon – the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated during the production of a product. It is a common term for the carbon footprint of a building/infrastructure project just before the building is operational. This includes emissions caused by extraction, manufacture/processing, transportation and assembly of every product and element. In some cases, (depending on the boundary of an assessment), it may also include the maintenance, replacement, deconstruction, disposal and end-of-life aspects of the materials and systems that make up the assets. It excludes operational emissions of the product. E Energy Mix – the different energy sources used in a geographical region, and in what proportions – often split into renewable (such as wind, solar and tidal) and non-renewable (such as gas and coal.) Energy Transition – the global energy sector’s shift from fossil-based energy production and consumption to renewable energy. E Environmental personhood – the idea of giving a non-human entity legal status and protections as a safeguarding rule for rivers, rainforests and other natural habitats. ESG – stands for Environmental, Social and Governance. It measures the sustainability of a company against relevant issues associated with Environmental and Social Impacts and Governance. The investment community is increasingly using an organisation’s ESG credentials to make informed investment decisions. Investors align strong corporate ESG performance with long-term growth and success. It means better climate resilience, greater credibility, and competitive advantage. E EV – the common abbreviation for ‘electric vehicles’ meaning any vehicle that uses electric motors for propulsion. Electric cards refers to road-going automobiles powered by electricity. F Fast Fashion – Cheaper, often poor-quality clothes produced rapidly by mass- market retailers in response to the latest trends. They are bought regularly and are often only worn a few times before being thrown out. Feedback Loop – In a feedback loop the rising temperatures on the Earth change the environment in ways that affect the rate of warming. There are two types of feedback loops: Positive feedback loops that increase the rate of warming, and Negative feedback loops that decrease it. F Fire ecology – this employs carefully timed, low-intensity fires to remove underbrush and regenerate important grasses and perennials. Indigenous people have actively used fire for thousands of years to cultivate abundant, productive forests and grasslands. Today, as Indigenous wisdom is being recognised by state and federal authorities, tribes are bringing good fire back. Food security – can only be reached when all people in a given area have physical and economic access to sufficient nutrients at all times. Weather conditions worsened by climate change such as rising sea levels and drought are leading to a lack of food security in developing areas across the globe. F Forest dieback – the phenomenon of a strand of trees losing health and dying. As result of deforestation and climate change it is predicted that forest diebacks will occur in both the Amazon rainforest and the boreal evergreen forest in Canada and Russia. Forest transition – a pattern of land use change in an area over time as it is developed by human society. To begin with, when the society is less developed, the forest is dominant. As the society develops and grows, expanding food production, there is deforestation. As agriculture becomes more efficient and the population moves to urban areas, there can be reforestation. F Fossil fuels – made from decomposed plants and other organisms that are buried beneath layers of sediment and rock that have become carbon-rich deposits over millions of years. These non-renewable fuels include coal, oil and natural gas. They supply the vast majority of the world’s energy and, as such, are the primary contribution to climate change as they release carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. G G7 – the Group of Seven was set up in 1975 as an informal forum bringing together the leaders of the world’s industrial nations. The annual G7 summits have developed into a platform for shaping responses and action to global challenges. The summit gathers leaders from the European Union (EU), Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. The UK and the US. Geo-engineering – any technology that could be used to halt or even reverse climate change. G Glasgow Climate Pact – The agreement reached by nations at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. The pact includes a range of decisions that aim to curb greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to climate change. It is the first climate agreement explicitly planning to reduce unabated coal usage. Global North – the nations of the world which are characterised by a high level of economics and industrial development, and are typically located to the north of less industrialised nations. G Global South – the nations of the world which are regarded as having a relatively low level of economic and industrial development, and are typically located to the south of more industrialised nations. Global warming – The rapid rise in average surface temperature on Earth since record-keeping began in 1880. The rise in heat is caused by humans, significantly the burning of fossil fuels. Throughout history, Earth has warmed and cooled but the rate of temperature increase has nearly doubled in the last 50 years. G Grasslands – are found where there is not enough regular rainfall to support the growth of a forest, but not so little that a desert forms. In fact, grasslands often lie between forests and deserts Grazing ecology – allowing animals to feed on the herbage of pasture lands provokes grass regrowth by removing old plant tissue, allowing more sunlight to reach the base of the plant. Animal dung and urine supply natural fertilizers for the plants, including nitrogen. When these animals are displaced or removed from grassland, the ecology of the system is altered significantly and degrades. G Great Acceleration – the dramatic, simultaneous surge in growth rate across a large range of measures of human activity, first recorded in the mid-twentieth century and continuing to this day. The demand for resources and production of pollutants during the period of the Great Acceleration is the direct cause of much of the environmental degradation we see today. Great Decline – the dramatic, simultaneous decline in a large range of environmental measures across the world, including biodiversity and climate stability, from the latter half of the twentieth century and continuing to this day. The decline is expected to escalate during this century, upon reaching a series of tipping point, and results in the radical destabilisation of the Earth system. G Greenhouse gases – gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and warm the planet. The main gases include carbon dioxide, methane, oxide and water vapour. Green growth – a path of economic growth that uses resources in a sustainable manner. It is used to provide an alternative concept to traditional economic growth, which typically does not account for environmental damage. G Greenwashing – disinformation produced by an organisation to present an environmentally responsible public image. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – a measure of productivity that summarises all the values of goods and services produced by a nation or sector over a given period created by Simon Kunzets. While it can be used as a measure of the productivity of a nation, GDP is widely criticised for not representing equality, well-being or environmentally impact. H Habitat – the natural environment occupied by a community of species. This could be a forest, desert or sea shore. Holocene – an official geological time period beginning 11,700 years after the last glacial time period. This was a stable period of history which corresponded with the rapid growth in humankind brought about by the invention of agriculture. H Hunter-gatherer – a culture in which a human society collects its food from the wild. It was the culture of all humans for 90 per cent of our history, until farming was invented at the start of Holocence. Hydropower – power obtained by harnessing energy from water to replace the use of fossil fuels. H Hydroponics – a method of growing plants without soil by using a nutrient solution dissolved in water. It has various advantages; chiefly, hydroponics requires much less water to grow plants. I Inclusivity – the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, gender, age or disability. IPCC – the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It was created to provide politicians with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks and to put forward adaption and mitigation options. K Keystone species – a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically. KPI – Key Performance Indicators are quantitative benchmarks for the performance of a business. L LCA – Life Cycle Assessment is the analysis of the carbon emissions associated with products or services during their entire life cycle. M Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) – protected areas of seas or ocean that restrict human activity to some degree, such as limiting fishing practices, seasons or catches. No-fish or no-take zones ban fishing of all kinds entirely. Currently there are over 17,000 MPAs worldwide, representing just over 7 per cent of the ocean. Mass extinction – a widespread and rapid decline in the biodiversity of Earth. According to most authorities, a mass extinction event has occurred at least five times in life’s history including that which brought an end to the dinosaurs. M Microplastics – fragments of plastic that can come from a variety of different sources including synthetic fibres, microbeads from health and beauty products and larger plastics that break down. Microplastics are everywhere; in the soil, water and air, even found in the Arctic and Antarctic. They are harmful due to their persistence and the chemicals they are made for. Mitigation – actions to limit global warming by reducing human emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and reducing their concentrations. N Nature-based solutions – actions to protect, manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems by addressing societal challenges. A nature-based solution uses existing natural tools to address issues resulting from poor land or resource use, climate change, or societal challenges. NDCs – stands for ‘Nationally determined contributions’ of each of the Paris Agreement’s signatories. They are national climate plans highlighting climate actions, including targets, policies and measures aimed at reducing climate change. N Net Zero – The balance between the total greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere and the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions removed from the atmosphere annually O Ocean acidification – the ongoing decrease in the pH of the ocean caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Seawater is slightly alkaline, so ocean acidification initially refers to a move to neutral conditions. As it continues, acidification damages much of the life in the ocean. Ocean forestry – a proposed nature-based solution to climate change in which seaweed forests are grown and farmed. As they grow, they act as a carbon capture and storage system, and the seaweed produced can be used for bioenergy, food or permanently disposed of to remove the carbon from the atmosphere. O Organic – relating to foods, products or farming methods produced from natural sources or involving production without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals. Overfishing – the removal of a species of fish from a body of water at a rate that the species cannot replenish, resulting in the species becoming underpopulated in that area. P Paris Agreement – a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 parties at COP21 in Paris in 2015. It’s goal to limit global warming to well below 2C, preferably to 1.5C, below pre-industrial levels. Every five years, countries must submit their pals for climate action (NDCs) and in 2020 they had to submit a long-term plan. Peak catch – the point of time at which the weight of fish landed stops increasing. We reached peak catch in the mid 1990s. After that point, there has been a slight decline in the global catch. P Peak child – the point at which the number of children (under 15 years old) globally stops increasing. The UN currently predicts that peak child will happen towards the middle of the century. Peak farm – the point at which the area devoted to farmland stops increasing. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation predicts that this will happen by 2040. P Peak oil – the point in time at which global production of oil is at its maximum, after which oil extraction will decline. The UN currently predicts that peak oil will happen before 2030. Peatlands – otherwise known as swamp forests, fens, heaths, bogs, or mires – Pentlands are wetland ecosystems where organic matter decomposes slowly and builds up large stores of thick, black carbon. Slash-and-burn deforestation and conversion of peatlands for palm oil plantations releases carbon from these spongy sinks, threatening communities, species and global climate. P Perfect storm – the combining factors that have lead to price fluctuations and food security. Planetary boundaries – a concept developed by Earth system scientists Johan Rockström and Will Steffen in order to define a safe operating space for humanity. The team used data from multiple sources to define nine factors that influence the stability of the Earth system. The nine factors are: biodiversity loss, climate change, chemical pollution, ozone depletion, atmospheric aerosols, ocean acidification, nitrogen and phosphorus use, freshwater consumption and land-use change (from wild space to fields or plantations). P Plant-based diet: a diet that consists mostly or entirely of foods from plants, with few or no animal products. A plant-based diet is more sustainable than contemporary diets containing many animal products since it, on average, takes up less land, energy and water to produce, and leads to the emission of fewer greenhouse gases. Proforestation – the act of protecting intact forest as well as letting degraded forests recover and mature. This can have a greater impact on global emissions than any other land-based solution. R Recycle – the act of breaking down and reusing materials that otherwise would have been thrown away. Typical materials that are recycled are plastic, glass bottles, paper, wood, and aluminium cans. Recycling reduces the quantities of waste in landfills and also reduces pollution of air, water, and land resulting from waste disposal. Regenerative Agriculture – unlike industrial agriculture which fights nature, regenerative agriculture uses farming methods that promote life, biological diversity, human and animal health, plant vigour, and pollinator vitality. The healthy soil naturally sequesters atmospheric carbon dioxide. R Regenerative business – the process of bringing something into a renewed existence. A regenerative business is aware of its place in its wider ecosystem and looks to operate in a way that reflects this. Renewable energy – comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished – for example solar energy, wind energy and biomass energy. It is referred to as clean energy as it offers lower emissions of carbon and other types of pollution. R Rewilding – conservation efforts aim at restoring and protecting natural processes and wilderness areas. Rewilding pollinators – the act of conserving plants that have been fertilized with pollen, to develop news seeds into new plants, which have come under threat of habitat destruction, agricultural pesticides, invasive species and climate change S Seaforestation – restoring the lost kelp forests sequestered carbon and protects fish and coral reefs. At a large scale, creating artificial kelp forests that can lock carbon. Sea-Level Rise – sea-level rising relates to climate change and is caused by two major factors. The first is more water is released into the ocean as glaciers and land ice melts. The second, the ocean expands as ocean temperatures increase. With sea-levels rising around the world millions of people who live in coastal communities are at risk. S Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions – Greenhouse gas emissions are broken down into three categories in order to better understand the source according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Scope 1 includes all direct emissions from the activities of company-owned and controlled resources. Scope 2 includes indirect emissions for the generation of purchased energy from a utility provider. Scope 3 includes all the indirect emissions not included in Scope 2 that occur in the value chain of the reporting company. SECR – Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting is a UK government policy that was implemented on 1st April 2019. It aims to bring the benefits of energy and carbon reporting to businesses by encouraging the implementation of energy efficiency measures that helps businesses to cut costs and make a positive impact on the planet. S Social Value – an umbrella term to describe the wider economic, social and environmental effects of a business’ actions. It is the net social and environmental benefits generated by an organisation to society through its corporate and community activities reports as financial performance. Solar power – power obtained by harnessing energy from the sun to replace the use of fossil fuels. S Stakeholder – anyone who has a direct stake within the business or is directly impacted by the operations of that business these types of people can include: owners, staff, shareholders. They can also be impacted by the business operations: local communities, suppliers and factory workers. Sustainable – the ability for something to last forever. Humankind must establish a life on our planet that exists within the planetary boundaries. T TCFD – The Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures established by the Financial Stability Board. The goal is to develop recommendations for more effective climate-related disclosures to promote better-informed investment, credit and insurance underwriting decisions. This would allow stakeholders to better understand the concentrations of carbon-related assets in the financial sector. In 2017, the TCFD released climate-related financial disclosure recommendations to help companies provide better information to support informed capital allocation. Tipping Point – also known as ‘threshold’ means the point at which change in climate is significant enough to trigger a significant environmental event which may not be reversible. U UN SDGs - United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – there are 17 UN SDGs that recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth. Tackling climate change and working to protect our oceans and forest underpin these. UNFCCC – The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an international environment treaty addressing climate change. It was signed by 154 states at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 with the aim of stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent dangerous human-induced interference with the climate system. W Wetlands - wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). wetland variations are endless: seasonal or permanent, freshwater or saline. Responsibilities of carbon, diversity, and life, they help prevent flooding and erosion, and store water in times of drought. Drained for land and fuel, wetlands are under threat all over the world with more than 65% lost in the past century. Wildlife corridors – pathways in water, land and air in which the creatures who’s habitat it is migrate, feed, drink and move to and from. Land conversion, human population growth, physical barrier and agriculture have strained these habitats. When these creatures disappear, the ecosystems deteriorate. W Wind power – power obtained by harnessing energy of the wind to replace the use of fossil fuels. z Zero carbon emissions – means that no carbon is emitted in the first place.