adaptive management
An approach to the management of natural resources that is based on learning by doing, and on making decisions as part of an on‐going process of monitoring, review, and adaptation. A planned course ...
carbon Footprint
A measure of the environmental impact of a particular human activities, based on the amount of natural resources they consume and the amount of greenhouse gases they produce. It is measured in units ...
community based natural resource management
(CBNRM)An approach to the management of natural resources that is based on engagement with local communities, as a means of focusing attention on natural resource problems or opportunities that ...
contingent valuation
A method used to obtain an economic valuation of a non-market good such as the natural environment. The contingent valuation method is based on the use of consumer surveys. A typical survey would ask ...
cowboy economy
General term to describe an economy that behaves as if natural resources are infinite in supply and nature can absorb all wastes.
ecofarming
An ecological approach to farming that is designed to conserve biodiversity and natural resources, for example by using organic rather than chemical fertilizers and pesticides. See also alternative ...
ecological approach
An approach to the management of natural resources that considers the relationships among all organisms (including humans) and their environment.
ecosystem management
The active and purposeful manipulation of an ecosystem in order to exploit its productivity (see primary productivity) or to enhance its biodiversity and conservation value.
environment
[Ge]The total surroundings in which a human society finds itself; all the factors that in any way affect its mode of life.
environmental crisis
A term that is used to describe the sum of the environmental problems that we face today. Key contemporary environmental problems include the greenhouse effect and global warming, the hole in the ...
environmental impact
Any impact or effect (positive or negative) that an activity has on an environmental system, environmental quality, or natural resources. Also known as an environmental effect.
environmental Law
The body of official legal rules, decisions, and actions that relate to environmental quality, natural resources, and ecological sustainability.
environmental management
The deliberate management and control of the environment and of natural resources systems, designed to ensure the long‐term sustainability of development efforts.
environmental Movements
A political movement that focuses on protecting the environment, reducing environmental damage (such as pollution), and reducing unsustainable use of natural resources. See also environmentalism.
environmental risk
Any source of harm or danger in the environment, for example from natural hazards, pollution, or depletion of natural resources.
environmental treaty
Any treaty that deals with the environment or with natural resources. Appendix 2 contains a summary of international environmental treaties.
environmentalism
A belief in and concern for the importance and influence of environment within a society.‘Environment’ is derived simply from the French verb environner, to surround. Our environment, literally, is ...
exclusive economic zone
(EEZ)A zone defined by Articles 55–75 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as comprising that area of sea adjacent to a coastal state not exceeding 200 miles from the baseline of the ...
exploitation
Originally the term has no moral connotations, referring simply to the use or development of resources. In moral and political philosophy it now applies specifically to the unjust economic and social ...
extrinsic resource
A natural resource that has been adapted or modified by people in order to provide additional values, particularly for recreation. Examples include historic sites and archaeological sites.
