ESS Topic 1 Foundations

perspective

(1.1.1) The way an individual views and understands a situation, based on their personal experiences and knowledge.

assumptions

(1.1.1) Ideas or beliefs accepted as true without proof or evidence.

values

(1.1.1, 1.1.3) Principles or standards considered important or desirable by an individual or society.

beliefs

(1.1.1) Ideas or opinions held with confidence but not always based on factual evidence.

sociocultural norms

(1.1.2) Accepted behaviors and expectations within a specific society or culture.

scientific understandings

(1.1.2) Knowledge gained through systematic observation, measurement, and experimentation.

argument

(1.1.2) A reason or set of reasons given to support an idea, action, or theory.

values survey

(1.1.5) A research tool used to gather information about people's opinions and priorities on specific issues.

worldview

(1.1.6) A comprehensive philosophy or conception of the world and human life.

environmental value system

(1.1.7) A framework of beliefs and principles that guide an individual's or society's relationship with nature. Examples are anthropocentric, ecocentric and technocentric.

technocentric

(1.1.8) A viewpoint that emphasizes technological solutions to environmental problems.

anthropocentric

(1.1.8) A viewpoint that considers humans as the central or most important element of existence.

ecocentric

(1.1.8) A viewpoint that recognizes the intrinsic value of all living things, not just humans.

environmental movement

(1.1.10) A social and political movement focused on protecting the natural world from harm caused by human activities.

environmental activist

(1.1.10) A person who takes action to promote environmental protection and awareness. Examples include Greta Thornberg, Al Gore, and Wangari Maathai.

environmental disaster

(1.1.10) A catastrophic event causing significant damage to the natural environment, often due to human activity. Examples include Minimata, Love Canal, Bhopal, Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Deepwater Horizon.

international agreement

(1.1.10) Formal arrangement between countries to address global environmental issues. Examples include CITES, the Kyoto Accord, and the Montreal Protocol.

system

(1.2.1) A group of interacting parts or interdependent components forming a complex whole, including inputs, outputs, and storages.

systems approach

(1.2.2) A method of studying complex sets of interactions by considering all components and their relationships.

storage

(1.2.2, 1.2.3) A place or component within a system where matter or energy is held. Also called a 'sink.'

flow

(1.2.2, 1.2.3) Movement of matter or energy between components of a system.

input

(1.2.2) Energy, matter or information entering a system from the external surroundings.

output

(1.2.2) Energy, matter or or information leaving a system and entering the external surroundings.

transfer

(1.2.4) Movement of matter or energy from one location to another within a system without changing form. Examples include water flowing downhill or percolating downward through the soil.

transformation

(1.2.4) Changes in the form or state of matter or energy within a system. Examples include the evaporation and condensation of water.

open system

(1.2.5) A system that exchanges both matter and energy with its surroundings.

closed system

(1.2.5) A system that exchanges only energy, not matter, with its surroundings.

biosphere

(1.2.6) The part of Earth where life exists, including all ecosystems and living organisms.

hydrosphere

(1.2.6) All water on Earth's surface, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater.

cryosphere

(1.2.6) The frozen parts of Earth's surface, including ice sheets, glaciers, and sea ice.

geosphere

(1.2.6) The solid parts of Earth, including rocks, soil, and mountains.

atmosphere

(1.2.6) The layer of gases surrounding Earth, held in place by gravity.

anthroposphere

(1.2.6) The part of the environment made or modified by humans for use in human activities. Sometimes called "the built environment".

Gaia hypothesis

(1.2.6) A theory proposing that living organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings to form a self-regulating system that maintains the conditions for life on Earth.

negative feedback

(1.2.8) A process in which a change in a system triggers a response that counteracts the initial change, promoting stability. An example is the relationship between populations of predators and their prey.

steady-state equilibrium

(1.2.9) A condition in which a system's inputs and outputs are balanced, maintaining consistent internal conditions over time.

positive feedback

(1.2.10) A process in which a change in a system amplifies or reinforces that change, potentially leading to instability. Examples include the albedo effect on melting arctic ice and melting permafrost accelerating climate change.

tipping point

(1.2.11, 1.2.12) A critical threshold at which a small change can lead to a large, often irreversible shift in a system's state.

regime shift

(1.2.12) A large, abrupt, and persistent change in the structure and function of a system.

alternative stable states

(1.2.12) Different conditions in which a system can exist stably under the same external conditions.

model

(1.2.13) A simplified representation of a complex system or process, often used for prediction or understanding. It may be a diagram, a data set, a physical structure, or a computer simulation

emergent properties

(1.2.15) Characteristics of a system that arise from the interactions of its parts but are not predictable from the properties of individual parts.

resilience

(1.2.16) The ability of a system to absorb disturbances and maintain its basic structure and function.

sustainability

(1.3.1) The ability to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

environmental sustainability

(1.3.3) Practices that ensure the long-term well-being of the natural world and its resources.

social sustainability

(1.3.4) Practices that support the long-term well-being of individuals and communities.

economic sustainability

(1.3.5) Practices that support long-term economic growth without negatively impacting social, environmental, and cultural aspects of the community.

sustainable development

(1.3.6) Development that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

ecosystem collapse

(1.3.7) The drastic reduction or loss of an ecosystem's defining features and functions.

gross domestic product (GDP)

(1.3.8) The total monetary value of all goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period It is a measure of economic development level used to compare MEDCs and LEDCs.

green GDP

(1.3.8) An adjusted measure of economic growth that accounts for the environmental costs of economic activities.

environmental justice

(1.3.9) The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in the development and enforcement of environmental laws and policies.

ecological footprint

(1.3.13) A measure of human demand on Earth's ecosystems, expressed as the amount of biologically productive land and sea area needed to support a population's consumption.

carbon footprint

(1.3.14) The total amount of greenhouse gases produced by an individual, event, organization, or product, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent.

water footprint

(1.3.14) The total volume of freshwater used to produce the goods and services consumed by an individual, community, or business.

biocapacity

(1.3.15) The capacity of ecosystems to produce biological materials used by people and to absorb waste material generated by humans.

citizen science

(1.3.16) Scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by amateur or nonprofessional scientists, often through crowdsourcing and distributed computing.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

(1.3.18) A set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations to address various social and environmental challenges.

planetary boundaries model

(1.3.19) A framework that defines safe operating limits for human activities with respect to Earth's biophysical subsystems or processes.

doughnut economics model

(1.3.20) An economic model that balances essential human needs with planetary boundaries.

regenerative economy

(1.3.20) An economic system that works to restore and regenerate rather than deplete and destroy natural and human resources.

distributive economy

(1.3.20) An economic system that aims to distribute wealth and resources more equitably among all members of society.

circular economy

(1.3.21) An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources through reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling.