Glossary

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate and its effects.

(IPCC, 2023)

The ability of systems, institutions, humans and other organisms to adjust to potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to respond to consequences

(IPCC 20221)

Education specifically targeting individuals who are regarded as adults by the society to which they belong to improve their technical or professional qualifications, further develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge with the purpose to complete a level of formal education, or to acquire knowledge, skills and competencies in a new field or to refresh or update their knowledge in a particular field. This also includes what may be referred to as ‘continuing education’, ‘recurrent education’ or ‘second chance education.

(UNESCO - ISCD, 2011)2

The deployment of organizational strategy through individual competencies and other assets, to accomplish organizational goals.

Efforts taken to combat climate change and its impacts. Climate action includes both climate mitigation (or the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions) and climate adaptation (the efforts to adapt to climate impacts).

(UN, n.d.)

Intenationally recognized standards related to climate, such as: ISO 14064; ISO 14090; Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures

A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods”

(UNFCC, 1992)

Climate change planning (also referred to as climate change-informed planning) “refers to planning activities that seek to mitigate or adapt to climate change. These activities are not simply the work of a specialized few, but encompass all aspects of planning, including energy planning, land-use planning, and community planning in addition to the development of specific climate change adaptation or mitigation plans.”

(Canadian Institute of Planners, Policy on Climate Change Planning, n.d.)

Climate change education helps people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to act as agents of change.

The consequences of realized risks on natural and human systems, where risks result from the interactions of climate-related hazards (including extreme weather and climate events), exposure and vulnerability. Impacts generally refer to effects on lives; livelihoods; health and well-being; ecosystems and species; economic, social and cultural assets; services (including ecosystem services); and infrastructure. Impacts may be referred to as consequences or outcomes, and can be adverse or beneficial

(IPCC, 2023).

Justice that links development and human rights to achieve a human-centred approach to addressing climate change, safeguarding the rights of the most vulnerable people and sharing the burdens and benefits of climate change and its impacts equitably and fairly

(IPCC, 2023)

Climate literacy encompasses being aware of climate change, its anthropogenic causes, and implications

(IPCC, 2023)

A human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.

(IPCC, 2023)

Climate services involve the provision of climate information in such a way as to assist decision-making. The service includes appropriate engagement from users and providers, is based on scientifically credible information and expertise, has an effective access mechanism, and responds to user needs

(IPCC, 2023)

A positive effect that a policy or measure aimed at one objective has on another objective, thereby increasing the total benefit to society or the environment

(IPCC 2023 ).

Action taken by a group (either directly or on its behalf through an organization) in pursuit of members’ perceived shared interests.

(Oxford Reference, n.d.)

The process by which community is involved and experiences agency in relationship to process, consultation, development and outcomes of and initiatives with existing organizations, institutions, government, and leadership.

A competency integrates related knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSAs) that contribute to individual and organizational performance.

Additional definitions:

The specific and measurable combination of knowledge, skills and attributes that result in the performance of an activity or task to a defined level of expectation or performance standard.

(from the Open Competency Toolkit)

The Government of Canada defines competencies as “the combined utilization of personal abilities and attributes, skills and knowledge to effectively perform a job, role, function, task, or duty.” (see Skills and Competencies Taxonomy)

Competency management is a process whereby key competencies that contribute to organizational performance excellence are identified and intentionally managed and/ or developed. The objective is to ensure that an individual or a team has the skills, knowledge and attributes to meet both current and future organizational goals.

The process of carefully and systematically examining research to judge its trustworthiness and its value and relevance in a particular context

GHG accounting concerns the recognition and consolidation of GHG emissions from operations in which a parent company holds an interest (either control or equity) and linking the data to specific operations, sites, geographic locations, business processes, and owners”.

(GHG Protocol, p. 20)

GHG reporting concerns the presentation of GHG data in formats tailored to the needs of various reporting uses and users

(GHG Protocol, p. 20).

Validation is the process in which a validator performs a systematic assessment to determine whether or not a GHG assertion regarding future GHG performance is both:

based on reasonable assumptions and calculations, and
in compliance with GHG program rules and standards

Verification is an objective assessment of the accuracy and completeness of reported GHG information and the conformity of this information to pre-established GHG accounting and reporting principles.”

(GHG protocol, p. 70)

A green economy is defined as low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive. In a green economy, growth in employment and income are driven by public and private investment into such economic activities, infrastructure and assets that allow reduced carbon emissions and pollution, enhanced energy and resource efficiency, and prevention of the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

(UN Environmental Program)

Gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect. Water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) are the primary GHGs in the Earth’s atmosphere. Human-made GHGs include sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs); several of these are also O3-depleting (and are regulated under the Montreal Protocol).

(IPCC, 2023)

The potential occurrence of a natural or human induced physical event or trend that may cause loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, as well as damage and loss to property, infrastructure, livelihoods, service provision, ecosystems and environmental resources

(IPCC, 2023)

The understandings, skills and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their natural surroundings. For many Indigenous Peoples, IK informs decision-making about fundamental aspects of life, from day-to-day activities to longer term actions. This knowledge is integral to cultural complexes, which also encompass language, systems of classification, resource use practices, social interactions, values, ritual and spirituality. These distinctive ways of knowing are important facets of the world’s cultural diversity.

(IPCC, 2023)

(For more on IK see: https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/what-does-indigenous-knowledge-mean)

The interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.

(Oxford Dictionary)

Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes. These are defined as things you need to know and be able to do, along with any personal characteristics, values, and other attributes required for the competency or competency area.

Actions that may lead to increased risk of adverse climate-related outcomes, including via increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, increased or shifted vulnerability to climate change, more inequitable outcomes, or diminished welfare, now or in the future. Most often, maladaptation is an unintended consequence.

(IPCC, 2023)

Teamwork that involves multiple disciplines, draws on knowledge across disciples, to solve real world issues through engaging multiple perspectives towards solution consensus.

The capacity of interconnected social, economic and ecological systems to cope with a hazardous event, trend or disturbance, responding or reorganizing in ways that maintain their essential function, identity and structure. Resilience is a positive attribute when it maintains capacity for adaptation, learning and/or transformation.

(IPCC, 2023).

The term rights-holders recognizes the constitutionally protected rights and titles of Indigenous peoples and the need to recognize those in actions, projects, or initiatives

The potential for adverse consequences for human or ecological systems, recognising the diversity of values and objectives associated with such systems. In the context of climate change, risks can arise from potential impacts of climate change as well as human responses to climate change. Relevant adverse consequences include those on lives, livelihoods, health and well-being, economic, social and cultural assets and investments, infrastructure, services (including ecosystem services), ecosystems and species.

In the context of climate change impacts, risks result from dynamic interactions between climate-related hazards with the exposure and vulnerability of the affected human or ecological system to the hazards. Hazards, exposure and vulnerability may each be subject to uncertainty in terms of magnitude and likelihood of occurrence, and each may change over time and space due to socio-economic changes and human decision-making.

In the context of climate change responses, risks result from the potential for such responses not achieving the intended objective(s), or from potential trade-offs with, or negative side-effects on, other societal objectives, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Risks can arise for example from uncertainty in the implementation, effectiveness or outcomes of climate policy, climate-related investments, technology development or adoption, and system transitions.

(IPCC, 2023)

An individual, organization, or entity that has an interest in or is affected by an action, project, or initiative

Learner-centred pedagogy follows a constructivist approach, thus it ‘places students at the centre of the teaching-learning process. Students are more active and participative, and the process turns knowledge into a negotiation between teachers and students. Furthermore, this pedagogy starts from students’ interests and objectives, and it carries out a learning process based on real situations and materials, using the current technologies to favour this process.'

(IGI Global, n.d.).

The propensity or predisposition to be adversely affected. Vulnerability encompasses a variety of concepts and elements including sensitivity or susceptibility to harm and lack of capacity to cope and adapt

(IPCC, 2023).