Earth and Human Activity

A measure of how much biologically productive land and water
an individual, population or activity requires to produce all the
resources it consumes, and to absorb the waste it generates,
using prevailing technology and resource management practices.
The Ecological Footprint is usually measured in global hectares.
Because trade is global, an individual or country’s Footprint
includes land or sea from all over the world. Also referred to in
short as Footprint (Global Footprint Network, 2012).

When a population’s demands on an ecosystem exceed
the capacity of that ecosystem to regenerate the resources
demanded. Overshoot results in ecological assets being
diminished and carbon waste accumulating in the atmosphere
(Global Footprint Network, 2014).

The capacity of ecosystems to produce useful biological materials
and to absorb waste materials (specifically, carbon dioxide)
generated by humans, using current management schemes and
technologies. Biocapacity is measured in global hectares (Global
Footprint Network, 2014).

The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change
and its effects in human and natural systems.

A hectare of biologically productive land or sea area with
world average bioproductivity in a given year. Both Ecological
Footprint and biocapacity results are expressed in this globally
comparable, standardized unit. Since 2012, all Footprint
and biocapacity results are expressed in constant global
hectares, global hectares which for all previous years have been
normalized based on the average yields of productive area in
the most recent year being reported (Global Footprint Network,
2014).

The stock of natural assets (land, water, biodiversity) that supports the provision of ecosystem services.

The capacity of a social-ecological system to cope with a
hazardous event or disturbance, responding or reorganizing in
ways that maintain its essential function, identity and structure,
while also maintaining the capacity for adaptation, learning, and
transformation (Arctic Council, 2013).

An ecosystem service is any positive benefit that wildlife or ecosystems provides to people.  The benefits can be direct or indirect – small or large.  (NWF, 2014)

Environmental indicators look at the effects of human activities on the environment as well as the implications of those actions on human health, quality of life and the integrity of ecosystems. Environmental indicators are usually scientifically-based information that describes environmental conditions and trends. Reliable information about the current state of the environment and the factors that stress it, is essential for making appropriate future commitments of time, energy, and resources to meet environmental challenges. (EPA, http://www.epa.gov/greenkit/indicator.htm, 2015)