Green Plans, working strategies for a sustainable future, a primer.

Chapter 7
Glossary of Terms

Agenda 21

The non-binding agreement signed by world nations at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Agenda 21 sets out conditions and recommendations for achieving global sustainability.

Covenants

Also called environmental agreements and negotiated agreements, covenants are performance-driven voluntary agreements for environmental improvement signed between industry and government. These legally binding agreements target reductions in emissions, improved environmental quality of products, and energy conservation. The Netherlands is the world leader in the development and operation of this innovative policy tool.

Development

Sometimes confused with the term “growth,” which generally means an increase in size, “development” can entail a qualitative change, or improvement, without a quantitative increase. Indeed, the primary objective of “sustainable development” is to achieve the benefits of prosperity—improved quality of life—without incurring the costs of growth—more pollution of air, water, and land; sprawl, crowding, traffic; waste, and resource depletion.

Indicator

A measurement that reflects the status of a system. Examples include Gross Domestic Product, the number of spotted owls in a forest ecosystem, and a fuel gauge in an automobile.

MEP

The Mexico Environmental Plan, which became law in 1996. Glossary of Terms

The Natural Step

An international organization founded in Sweden; also the name of the organization’s framework for building an ecologically and economically sustainable society. The scientific framework is based on fundamental systems conditions that should guide the actions of businesses, governments, and other entities. Green planning provides the overarching policies, infrastructure, objectives, and goals that would allow the mission of The Natural Step to be achieved.

NEPP

The Netherlands National Environmental Policy Plan. Now in its third incarnation (as of 1999), the NEPP sets out the overall environmental policy framework for the nation of the Netherlands, including broad themes and target groups.

NGO

Non-governmental organization, nonprofit organization.

NUP

The National Environmental Plan of Austria. Much of the framework of the NUP was drawn from the Netherlands NEPP.

Precautionary Principle

Well-accepted principle that in cases of scientific uncertainty, governments should take action erring on the side of protecting health and the environment.

RMA

Resource Management Act, 1991, of New Zealand. The RMA defined sustainable management as an environmental management goal, and consolidated over 70 pieces of legislation into one.

Sustainable

Able to endure over time. A sustainable society is one that is just, healthy, vital, resilient, and able to creatively adapt over time.

Sustainable Development

As defined by the 1987 Brundtland Report, “Our Common Future,” sustainable development is development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Sustainable Management

Practical process required for sustainable development to be achieved. This process has been effectively applied in New Zealand, where the RMA takes a strong sustainable management approach that emphasizes “avoiding, remedying, or mitigating any adverse effects of activities on the environment.”

System

A set of elements or entities bound together by a set of rules and relationships into a unified whole. A system’s health is dependent on the health of the whole pattern, which can sometimes be reflected (and thus measured) in the status of a key part of the system (see Indicator).

Watershed

A geographical area whose boundaries are determined by the flows of water following gravity to a principal tributary, river or body of water. Watersheds are of varying sizes.