Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013)222 Ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plant, animal and microorganism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit. (para. 2.8) Ecosystem services are the benefits supplied by the functions of ecosystems and received by humanity. (para. 2.9) Emissions are substances released to the environment by establishments and households as a result of production, consumption and accumulation processes. (para. 3.156) Emissions to air are gaseous and particulate substances released to the atmosphere by estab - lishments and households as a result of production, consumption and accumulation processes. (para. 3.164) Emissions to water are substances released to water resources by establishments and house - holds as a result of production, consumption and accumulation processes. (para. 3.179) Energy production refers to the capture, extraction or manufacture of fuels or other energy products in forms which are ready for general consumption. Energy products are produced in a number of ways, depending on the energy source. Total energy production originates from sources that can be classified as non-renewable or renewable. (paras. 3.97 and 3.98) Energy production includes the production of primary and secondary energy. Primary energy refers to energy sources as found in their natural state, as opposed to derived or secondary energy, which is the result of the transformation of primary sources. (para. 3.99) Environment statistics are environmental data that have been structured, synthesized and aggre- gated according to statistical methods, standards and procedures. The scope of environment statistics covers biophysical aspects of the environment and those aspects of the socioeconomic system that directly influence and interact with the environment. (paras. 1.26 and 1.33) Environmental awareness involves the gradual understanding of environmental issues, and the recognition of the connections among human actions, development, sustainability and human responsibility in these processes. Environmental awareness involves the realization that humans and ecosystems co-exist in a shared environment, which is ultimately the biosphere. Awareness fosters pro-environmental attitudes and predispositions for action and changed behaviour. (para. 3.296) Environmental data are large amounts of unprocessed observations and measurements about the environment and related processes. (para. 1.32) Environmental education refers to the process of sharing and constructing environmental information and knowledge, as well as information on how humans interact with the environ- ment. Environmental education is carried out through a variety of programmes, including formal and informal education and training, directed towards different audiences. It may be curriculum- and classroom-based or experiential, and may be provided on-site or in com - munity settings by government agencies or NGOs. Environmental education is integral to education for sustainable development. (para. 3.292) Environmental engagement involves the transformation of perceptions and attitudes into concrete, pro-environmental actions. Individual and social participation and engagement in environmental processes intended to improve and protect the local and global environment are a concrete manifestation of understanding and motivation of, and commitment to protecting and improving the environment, expressed through behaviour. (para. 3.300) Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) consists of a heterogeneous set of producers of technologies, goods and services that (i) measure, control, restore, prevent, treat, minimize, research and sensitise environmental damages to air, water and soil as well as problems related to waste, noise, biodiversity and landscape (this includes “cleaner” technologies, goods and ser- vices that prevent or minimze pollution) and (ii) measure, control, restore, prevent, minimize, 223Glossary 223 research and sensitise resource depletion. This results mainly in resource-efficient technologies, goods and services that minimize the use of natural resources. (para. 3.266) Environmental health focuses on how environmental factors and processes impact and change human health. It can be defined as an interdisciplinary field that focuses on analysing the rela- tionship between public health and the environment. From the health perspective, WHO states that “environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments […]”. (para. 3.242) Environmental indicators are environment statistics that have been selected for their ability to depict important phenomena or dynamics. Environmental indicators are used to synthesize and present complex environment and other statistics in a simple, direct, clear and relevant way. (para. 1.34) Environmental indices are composite or more complex measures that combine and synthesize more than one environmental indicator or statistic and are weighted according to different methods. (para. 1.35) Environmental information includes quantitative and qualitative facts describing the state of the environment and its changes as described in the different components of the FDES. Quantitative environmental information is generally produced in the form of data, statistics and indicators, and is generally disseminated through databases, spreadsheets, compendiums and yearbooks. Qualitative environmental information consists of descriptions (e.g., textual or pictorial) of the environment or its constituent parts that cannot be adequately represented by accurate quantitative descriptors. Geographically referenced environmental information provides facts on the environment and its components using digital maps, satellite imagery and other sources linked to a location or map feature. (paras. 1.31 and 3.288) Environmental perception refers to individuals’ and groups’ notions of, attitudes towards and evaluations of the environment, both as a whole or with respect to specific environmental issues. Individuals and communities make decisions and judgments, and take actions based on subjective perceptions of environmental information and experiences. Values and attitudes thus “filter” information and transform it into perception in a culturally specific manner. (para. 3.296) Environmental protection activities are those activities whose primary purpose is the preven- tion, reduction and elimination of pollution and other forms of degradation of the environ - ment. These activities include the protection of ambient air and climate, wastewater manage- ment, waste management, protection and remediation of soil, groundwater and surface water, noise and vibration abatement, protection of biodiversity and landscapes, protection against radiation, research and development for environmental protection and other environmental protection activities. (para. 3.262) Environmental regulation and instruments refer to policy responses to regulate and estab - lish acceptable limits for protecting the environment and human health. It entails both direct regulatory and economic instruments. Direct regulatory instruments include environmental and related laws, standards, limits and their enforcement capacities. These can be described using statistics on regulated pollutants, licensing systems, applications for licences, quotas for biological resource extraction, and budget and the number of staff dedicated to enforcement of environmental regulations. Economic instruments may comprise the existence and number of green/environmental taxes, environmental subsidies, eco-labelling and certification and emission permits. (para. 3.275) Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013)224 Environmental resources (assets) are the naturally occurring living and non-living compo - nents of the Earth, together constituting the biophysical environment, which may provide benefits to humanity. Environmental resources include natural resources (such as sub-soil resources (mineral and energy), soil resources, biological resources and water resources) and land. They may be naturally renewable (e.g., fish, timber or water) or non-renewable (e.g., minerals). (para. 3.76) Extreme events are events that are rare within their statistical reference distribution at a par - ticular location. An extreme event is normally as rare as or rarer than the 10th or 90th percen- tile. (para. 3.195) F Fauna: The animal life of a particular region or time. It is generally regarded as that which is naturally occurring and indigenous. (para. 3.35) Flora: The plant life of a particular region or time. It is generally regarded as that which is naturally occurring and indigenous. (para. 3.35) Forest is land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 metres and a canopy cover of more than 10 per cent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use. (para. 3.42) G Genetic resources are defined as genetic material of plants, animals or microorganisms con- taining functional units of heredity that are of actual or potential value as a resource for future generations of humanity. (para. 3.133) Geographic information system (GIS) is an integrating technology that helps to capture, manage, analyse, visualize and model a wide range of data with a spatial or locational com - ponent. (para. 1.51) Geospatial information presents the location and characteristics of different attributes of the atmosphere, surface and sub-surface. It is used to describe, display and analyse data with discernible spatial aspects, such as land use, water resources and natural disasters. Geospatial information allows for the visual display of different statistics in a map-based layout, which can make it easier for users to work with and understand the data. The ability to overlay multiple data sets using software, for instance on population, environmental quality, and environmental health, allows for a deeper analysis of the relationship among these phenom- ena. (para. 1.50) Government environmental protection and resource management expenditure includes government expenditure whose primary aim is to protect the environment and manage its resources. (para. 3.267) Groundwater comprises water that collects in porous layers of underground formations known as aquifers. (para. 3.145) H Human settlements refer to the totality of the human community, whether people live in large cities, towns or villages. They encompass the human population that resides in a settle- ment, the physical elements (e.g., shelter and infrastructure), services (e.g., water, sanitation, waste removal, energy and transport), and the exposure of humans to potentially deleterious environmental conditions. (para. 3.218) 225Glossary 225 I Improved drinking water source includes the use of: piped water into dwelling, plot or yard; public tap or standpipe; borehole or tube well; protected dug well; protected spring; rainwater collection and bottled water (if a secondary available source is also improved). (para. 3.226) Improved sanitation facility is defined as one that hygienically separates human excreta from human contact. Improved facilities include flush/pour flush toilets or latrines connected to a sewer, -septic tank, or -pit, ventilated improved pit latrines, pit latrines with a slab or platform of any material which covers the pit entirely, except for the drop hole and composting toilets/ latrines. (para. 3.227) Institutional dimension of environment statistics refers to the institutional factors necessary to develop and strengthen the sustained production, dissemination and use of environment statistics. It comprises the legal framework that establishes the mandates and roles of the main partners, the institutional setting and institutional development level of environment statistics units, and the existence and effectiveness of inter-institutional cooperation and coordination mechanisms at the national level and with specialized international agencies. (para. 1.56) Institutional strength : Government and citizen engagement in environmental and sustain - able development public policy is reflected in the extent to which institutions that manage and regulate the environment exist and function properly at the national and subnational levels. (para. 3.273) In-stream water use refers to the use of water without moving it from its source or to the use when water is immediately returned with little or no alteration. (para. 3.148) K Known mineral deposits include commercially recoverable deposits, potential commercially recoverable deposits and non-commercial and other known deposits. (para. 3.84) L Land provides space for natural ecosystems, human habitats and human activities. As this space is finite, the expansion of human activities can reduce the space occupied by natural ecosystems, thus reducing ecosystems’ capacity to yield ecosystem goods and services for all living beings. From the resource perspective, land is a unique environmental resource that delineates the space in which economic activities and environmental processes take place and within which environmental resources and economic assets are located. (paras. 2.16 and 3.102) Land cover is the observed (bio) physical cover on the earth’s surface. (para. 3.23) Land use reflects both the activities undertaken and the institutional arrangements put in place for a given area for the purposes of economic production, or the maintenance and restoration of environmental functions. Land being “used” means the existence of some kind of human activity or management. Consequently, there are areas of land that are “not in use” by human activities. (para. 3.104) Livestock are animal species that are raised by humans for commercial purposes, consumption or labour (ISIC Rev. 4, Section A, Division 01). (para. 3.135) Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013)226 M Multilateral Environmental Agreements address, via international cooperation, environmen- tal problems, especially those which have a transboundary nature or are global in scope. For the most relevant MEAs, participant or signatory countries are usually expected to report on progress periodically, either on a mandatory or voluntary basis. (paras. C.1 and C.2) N Natural biological resources consist of animals, birds, fish and plants that yield both once- only and repeat products for which natural growth and/or regeneration is not under the direct control, responsibility and management of institutional units. (para. 3.115) Nuclear radiation-related diseases and conditions: The related diseases and health conditions may be acute or chronic. They include, but are not limited to, thermal burns from infrared heat radiation, beta and gamma burns from beta and gamma radiation, radiation sickness or “atomic disease”, leukaemia, lung cancer, thyroid cancer and cancer of other organs, sterility and congenital anomalies or malformations, premature aging, cataracts, and increased vulner- ability to disease and emotional disorders. Exposure to nuclear radiation could occur from a nuclear explosion or an accident involving a nuclear reactor. (paras. 3.254 and 3.255) O Other non-cultivated biological resources : These resources may include wild berries, fungi, bacteria, fruits, sap and other plant resources that are harvested (ISIC Rev. 4, Section A, class 0230), as well as wild animals that are trapped or killed for production, consumption and trade (ISIC Rev. 4, Section A, class 0170). (para. 3.140) Other wooded land is land not classified as “forest”, spanning more than 0.5 hectares; with trees higher than 5 metres and a canopy cover of 5-10 per cent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ; or with a combined cover of shrubs, bushes and trees above 10 per cent. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use. (para. 3.42) P Protected Area Management Categories are based on the strictness of protection and serve as the classification for protected areas. The main categories are strict nature reserve; wilderness area; national park; natural monument or feature; habitat/species management area; protected landscape/seascape; and protected area with sustainable use of natural resources. (para. 3.38) R Remote sensing is the science of obtaining information about objects or areas from a distance, typically from aircraft or satellites. (para. 1.54) Renewable energy is captured from sources that replenish themselves. It includes solar (pho- tovoltaic and thermal), hydroelectric, geothermal, tidal action, wave action, marine (non-tidal currents, temperature differences and salinity gradients), wind and biomass energy, all of which are naturally replenished, although their flow may be limited. (para. 3.95) Renewable water resources of a country are generated by precipitation and inflows of water from neighbouring territories and reduced by evapotranspiration. (para. 3.145) 227Glossary 227 Residuals are flows of solid, liquid and gaseous materials, and energy, that are discarded, dis- charged or emitted by establishments and households through processes of production, con - sumption or accumulation. (para. 3.154) Resource management activities are those activities whose primary purpose is preserving and maintaining the stock of natural resources and hence safeguarding against depletion. These activities include, but are not limited to, reducing the withdrawals of natural resources (includ- ing through the recovery, reuse, recycling and substitution of natural resources); restoring natural resource stocks (increases or recharges of natural resource stocks); the general man - agement of natural resources (including monitoring, control, surveillance and data collection); and the production of goods and services used to manage or conserve natural resources. They cover the management of mineral and energy resources; timber resources; aquatic resources; other biological resources; water resources; research and development activities for resource management; and other resource management activities. (para. 3.263) Reused water is wastewater supplied to a user for further use with or without prior treatment. (para. 3.157) S Slums are housing lacking one or more of the following conditions: access to improved water; access to improved sanitation; sufficient living area; durability of housing; or security of tenure. (para. 3.235) Soil provides the physical base to support the production and cycling of biological resources, provides the foundation for buildings and infrastructure, constitutes the source of nutrients and water for agriculture and forestry systems, provides a habitat for diverse organisms, plays an essential role in carbon sequestration and fulfils a complex buffering role against environ - mental variability, ranging from dampening diurnal and seasonal change in temperature and water supply to the storage and binding of a range of chemical and biological agents. The main environmental concerns about soil pertain to its degradation through soil erosion or nutrient depletion, among other processes. (para. 3.17) Soil resources comprise the top layers (horizons) of soil that form a biological system. (para. 3.111) Stocks of non-renewable energy resources are defined as the amount of known deposits of mineral energy resources. (para. 3.92) Stocks of mineral resources are defined as the amount of known deposits of non-metallic and metallic mineral resources. (para. 3.84) Subsoil resources are underground deposits of various minerals that provide raw materials and energy sources for humans. When considered as resources for human use, these subsoil elements differ fundamentally from ecosystems in that they are non-renewable. Their use thus results in permanent depletion. (para. 2.17) Surface water comprises all water that flows over or is stored on the ground’s surface, regard- less of its salinity levels. Surface water includes water in artificial reservoirs, lakes, rivers and streams, snow, ice and glaciers. (para. 3.145) T Technological disasters may arise as a result of human intent, negligence or error, or from faulty or failed technological applications. The three types of technological disasters are: indus- Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013) 228 trial accidents which cover accidents associated with chemical spill, collapse, explosion, fire, gas leak, poisoning, radiation and other; transport accidents which cover accidents associated with air, road, rail, and water; and miscellaneous accidents which cover accidents associated with collapse, explosion, fire, and other disasters of varied origin. (paras. 3.205 and 3.206) Timber resources are defined by the volume of trees, living and dead, which can still be used for timber or fuel. (para. 3.117) Toxic substances include toxic pesticides (e.g., pesticides that have teratogenic, carcinogenic, tumorigenic and/or mutagenic effects), and toxic industrial chemicals (e.g., lead, arsenic, mer cury and nickel, among others). (para. 3.252) Toxic substance-related diseases and health problems include, but are not limited to, chronic illnesses of the respiratory system (such as pneumonia, upper and lower respiratory diseases, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases), cancer, infertility, and congenital anom alies or malformations. (para. 3.252) V Vector-borne diseases are transmitted by organisms (e.g., insects and arachnids) that carry viruses, bacteria, protozoa and other pathogens. Common vector-borne diseases include, but are not limited to, malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and Lyme disease. Some vector-borne diseases are directly affected by climate change, specifically by the change in rain patterns and floods. (para. 3.250) W Waste covers discarded materials that are no longer required by the owner or user. (para. 3.158) Wastewater is discarded water that is no longer required by the owner or user. (para. 3.157) Water abstraction is the amount of water that is removed from any source, either permanently or temporarily, in a given period of time. Water is abstracted from surface water and ground water resources by economic activities and households. Water can be abstracted for own use or for distribution to other users. (para. 3.147) Water-related diseases and conditions result from micro-organisms and chemicals in the water that humans drink. They include, but are not limited to, diseases caused by biological contamination, such as gastroenteritis infections caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa, and water-borne parasite infections. (para. 3.249) Water resources consist of freshwater and brackish water, regardless of their quality, in inland water bodies, including surface water, groundwater and soil water. (para. 3.145)