Glossary - global sustainability

ATSI

The original inhabitants of Australia and its surrounding islands, including mainland Aboriginal peoples and the Torres Strait Islander communities.

Benefit sharing

A principle where the advantages or profits from the use of resources, knowledge, or innovations are distributed fairly among all stakeholders, especially indigenous and local communities.

Biocapacity

The ability of an ecosystem to generate renewable resources and absorb wastes. It refers to the capacity of natural environments to sustain life and support human demands.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the diversity of species, ecosystems, and genetic differences within species.

Culture

The set of shared beliefs, values, customs, practices, and social behaviors of a group of people. Culture encompasses language, art, religion, cuisine, social habits, and more.

Diversity

Diversity means having a range of people with various racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds and various lifestyles, experience, and interests.

Ecological integrity

The ability of an ecosystem to support and maintain ecological processes and a diverse community of organisms.

ICIP

ndigenous cultural and intellectual property is a broad term which is used to refer to the rights Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to their heritage and culture.

Range of scales

The range tells you the maximum weight a scale can measure.

sociocultural

Combining social and cultural factors

urbanisation

Urbanisation is the increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities.

Conservation

a careful preservation and protection of something. 

contemporary

Existing or happening now, and therefore seeming modern.

Economic growth

An increase in the economy of a country or an area, especially of the value of good and services the country or area produces

GIS

A computer system that analyses and displays geographically referenced information. It uses data that is attached to a unique location. Most of the information we have about our world contains a location reference

Habitat

A habitat is the natural home or environment of a plant, animal, or other organism. It provides the organisms that live there with food, water, shelter and space to survive.

Social justice

Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.

sustainability

Sustainable practices support ecological, human, and economic health and vitality.

Cultural heritage

Cultural heritage is the heritage of tangible and intangible heritage assets of a group or society that is inherited from past generations.

SDG

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals.

ESD

development that improves the total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends