IB Environmental systems and societies 1.3 Sustainability Key Definitions

Biocapacity is the capacity of a biologically productive area to continuously provide renewable resources and assimilate the waste generated by human activities.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in an ecosystem, encompassing different levels of biological organization.

Biosphere integrity refers to the capacity of ecosystems to maintain biodiversity (genes, species, functions) and continue providing essential ecological services.

The circular economy is an economic model that decouples economic growth from resource consumption by keeping materials, products, and resources in use for as long as possible.

Citizen science is the involvement of the general public in scientific research, particularly in collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on environmental systems.

The Doughnut Economics model, proposed by economist Kate Raworth, offers a framework to address these challenges by balancing human needs with planetary boundaries.

An ecological footprint is the measure of the amount of land and water area required to provide all resources a population consumes and absorb waste and emissions (e.g., CO₂ absorption by forests)

Economic sustainability refers to the development of economic structures and systems that allow for the long-term production and consumption of goods and services in a way that meets human needs without depleting natural resources or causing irreversible environmental damage.

A long-lasting loss of structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem function, where the system shifts to a new, less complex state.

Environmental justice is the principle that all people, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, or nationality, have the right to live in a clean, healthy environment and have fair access to natural resources.

Environmental sustainability refers to the use and management of natural resources in a way that ensures they can be replenished, and ecosystems can recover and regenerate over time.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a common indicator of economic development that measures the monetary value of all final goods and services produced within a country over a specific period.

Green GDP is a measure of economic development that adjusts traditional GDP by subtracting environmental costs, such as deforestation and air pollution.

A niche describes the role of a species in its environment, including how it interacts with biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors.

Ocean acidification is the process by which the ocean becomes more acidic due to increased levels of dissolved carbon dioxide.

pH measures hydrogen ion concentration, influencing chemical reactions in water.

A planetary boundary is a threshold beyond which human activities risk causing catastrophic environmental change.

Social sustainability refers to the development and maintenance of structures and systems that support human well-being, ensuring that societies remain stable, inclusive, and resilient over time.

A strong sustainability model is a sustainability model that depicts the environment as a foundation that supports both society and the economy.

Sustainability is the natural capacity of ecosystems to maintain equilibrium between resource inputs and waste outputs while continuing to support life.

Sustainability indicators are quantitative measures that help us assess the health and viability of systems across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.

Sustainability models are simplified representations of reality that help us understand how environmental, social, and economic factors interact in sustainable development.

Sustainable development refers to meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals established in 2015 to address social, economic, and environmental challenges by 2030.