Glossary
Key terms and definitions used in Darwin
Glossary
A-E
Commodity
The lowest level of transformed product, standardized and tradable. Examples: copper, wheat, palm oil.
Commodity Inventory
List of commodities with associated quantities traced to your business activities.
Ecosystem Use Type
Classification describing the type of ecosystem or land cover being used by (or transformed for) a given activity.
EMRIO
Environmentally Extended Multi-Regional Input-Output model. A framework integrating economic input-output analysis with environmental data to track flows across countries.
G-L
GHG
Greenhouse Gas. Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere (CO2, CH4, N2O, etc.).
GWP100
Global Warming Potential (100-year). A metric comparing the warming impact of different greenhouse gases over 100 years, expressed in CO2 equivalents.
IPBES
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The leading international body for assessing the state of biodiversity.
LCA
Life Cycle Assessment. A methodology for evaluating environmental impacts of products throughout their entire life cycle (cradle-to-grave).
LCI
Life Cycle Inventory. The data collection phase of LCA, quantifying inputs and outputs of a product system.
LCIA
Life Cycle Impact Assessment. The phase of LCA that evaluates potential environmental impacts based on LCI results.
M-R
Potentially Disappeared Fraction. A metric expressing the fraction of species potentially lost due to environmental pressures.
Pressures
Environmental interventions driving biodiversity loss: land use, pollution, climate change, water consumption, etc.
ReCiPe
A Life Cycle Impact Assessment methodology that converts environmental pressures into damage indicators for human health, ecosystems, and resources.
S-Z
SBTN
Science Based Targets Network. A framework helping companies set science-based targets for nature, including biodiversity.
Scope
Perimeters of the value chain:
- Scope 1: Direct operations
- Scope 2: Purchased energy
- Scope 3 Upstream: Supply chain (suppliers, raw materials)
- Scope 3 Downstream: Product use and end-of-life
Species.year
A metric quantifying potential species loss over time due to human activities. Combines the fraction of species affected with the duration of impact.
Stressors
Environmental extensions in EMRIO models: energy use, emissions, water consumption, waste generation.
TNFD
Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures. A framework for organizations to report nature-related risks and opportunities.
Value Chain
The full range of activities involved in creating a product, from raw material extraction to end-of-life.
Units Reference
| Unit | Name | Context |
|---|---|---|
| t CO2eq | Tonnes of CO2 equivalent | Climate change |
| kg DCBeq | kg 1,4-Dichlorobenzene equivalent | Ecotoxicity |
| kg SO2eq | kg Sulfur dioxide equivalent | Acidification |
| kg P eq | kg Phosphorus equivalent | Freshwater eutrophication |
| kg N eq | kg Nitrogen equivalent | Marine eutrophication |
| kg NOx eq | kg Nitrogen oxides equivalent | Photochemical ozone |
| m2.year | Square meters per year | Land occupation |
| m2 | Square meters | Land transformation |
| m3 | Cubic meters | Water consumption |
| species.year | Species multiplied by years | Biodiversity impact |
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