Fifth National Climate Assessment
APPENDIX 5. Glossary

Authors of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) were encouraged to briefly define important terms within their chapters. Some terms, however, require more detailed or nuanced definitions. This Glossary was developed to help readers understand key terms and ensure consistency of usage across the report.

Most of the definitions presented here have been adapted from authoritative sources, including other US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) reports, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments, and academic and scientific societies and organizations (e.g., American Meteorological Society). These external sources are indicated with citations. Where definitions have been developed from multiple sources, the Fifth National Climate Assessment 1 is cited.

Where a term is used in a chapter in a manner that is inconsistent with the glossary definition, the intended definition is provided within the chapter text.

Terms and subterms (e.g., “Flash drought” as a subterm of “Drought”) are bolded, and references to other terms defined in the glossary are underlined and hyperlinked. Related terms of particular importance are noted and linked at the end of the definition.

Note on Glossary Development Process

Terms selected for inclusion in the Glossary of Terms are those that are used in multiple chapters of the Assessment and required a definition that went beyond what would be provided in a simple dictionary definition.

The editorial team followed a prioritized selection process for definitions. The team sought existing definitions from the following sources: the Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR2, 2018 2 ); the Climate Science Special Report (Volume I of the Fourth National Climate Assessment [NCA4]; CSSR, 2017 3 ); Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States (Volume II of NCA4; USGCRP, 2018 4 ); Impacts of Climate change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment (USGCRP, 2016 5 ); and the Contributions of Working Groups I, II, and III to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (IPCC WGI, 2021, 6 IPCC WGII, 2022, 7 and IPCC WGIII, 2022 8 ). If these sources did not offer adequate definitions, the editorial team searched for definitions from scientific and academic society glossaries, reports, and websites (e.g., American Meteorological Society, American Psychological Association, World Health Organization) and federal and state agency reports and websites. In the rare cases for which adequate definitions were not available from these sources, the editorial team collaborated with USGCRP leadership to develop definitions based on the text of the Assessment (or of NCA4) or the underlying Assessment literature.

As the editorial team examined sources, draft definitions were selected if they fit the proper context in which the term was used in the Assessment and were relatively succinct and understandable while also providing enough information for the reader to understand how the term was used. The team removed any policy-prescriptive terminology, assessment descriptions, or specific language referring to scenarios during editing, unless required to define the term.

The draft glossary was reviewed by Assessment author teams to ensure that all necessary terms were included and that the definitions were technically and scientifically accurate. The editorial team conducted an initial review for new term inclusion, as well as a science, technical, and stylistic edit of definitions, and these decisions were reviewed by the Assessment Director.

Finally, the Glossary of Terms was reviewed by the Federal Steering Committee prior to final copyediting and formatting.

Editors Federal Coordinating Lead Editor Allison R. Crimmins , US Global Change Research Program Lead Editor Aaron M. Grade , US Global Change Research Program / ICF Editorial Team Samantha Basile , US Global Change Research Program / ICF Mark R. Essig , North Carolina State University Leo Goldsmith , US Global Change Research Program / ICF Allyza R. Lustig , US Global Change Research Program / ICF Thomas K. Maycock , North Carolina State University Andrea McCarrick , North Carolina State University Austin A. Scheetz , US Global Change Research Program / ICF Contributors Technical Contributors Jesse Keenan , Tulane University Ann Kosmal , US General Services Administration Audrey L. Magnuson , ICF Molly Rickles , ICF A. R. Siders , University of Delaware, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration USGCRP Coordinator Christopher W. Avery , US Global Change Research Program / ICF Recommended Citation

Grade, A.M., A.R. Crimmins, S. Basile, M.R. Essig, L. Goldsmith, A.R. Lustig, T.K. Maycock, A. McCarrick, and A. Scheetz, 2023: Appendix 5. Glossary. In: Fifth National Climate Assessment. Crimmins, A.R., C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel, B.C. Stewart, and T.K. Maycock, Eds. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA5.2023.A5

A5.2. Glossary

Note: Underlined text indicates a term that is defined in the glossary.

Climate adaptation: In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects 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. 7 Related terms: Adaptive capacity, Maladaptation, Climate Resilience.

Equitable adaptation: Adaptation that intentionally incorporates recognitional, procedural, and distributional principles of equity in design, planning, and execution. 1 , 9

Incremental adaptation: Adaptation that maintains the essence and integrity of a system or process at a given scale. In some cases, incremental adaptation can accrue to result in transformative adaptation. Incremental adaptations to change in climate are understood as extensions of actions and behaviors already known to reduce the losses or enhance the benefits of natural variations in extreme weather/climate events. 7

Transformative adaptation: Adaptation that changes the fundamental attributes of a social–ecological system, often involving persistent, novel, and significant changes to institutions, behaviors, values, and/or technology in anticipation of climate change and its impacts. 1 , 8 , 10 , 11

A form of domination in which at least one society exerts power to exploit one or more other societies in order to gain some set of goods it perceives as valuable to the fulfillment of its economic, social, and cultural development. 86 , 1

Settler Colonialism: A type of domination in which a colonizing society seeks to obtain valuable goods by permanently inhabiting the territories that one or more other societies (e.g., indigenous peoples) already inhabit. Many settler colonial processes involve attempts by the colonizing society to erase the presence and history of the Indigenous Peoples. 86 , 1

An exceptional period of water shortage for existing ecosystems and the human population (due to low rainfall, high temperature and/or wind). 33

Agricultural drought: A period with abnormal soil moisture deficit that impinges on crop production, which results from a combined shortage of precipitation and excess evapotranspiration, generally during the growing season. 6 , 33 , 34

Ecological drought: Depending on the affected biome, an episodic deficit in water availability that drives ecosystems beyond thresholds of vulnerability, impacts ecosystem services, and triggers feedbacks in natural and/or human systems. 33

Flash drought: The rapid onset or intensification of drought. It is set in motion by lower-than-normal rates of precipitation, usually accompanied by abnormally high temperatures, winds, and incoming solar radiation. 6 , 33

Hydrological drought: A period with large runoff and water deficits in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. 6 , 33

Megadrought: A very lengthy and pervasive drought, lasting much longer than normal, usually a decade or more. 6 , 33

Meteorological drought: A period with an abnormal precipitation deficit. 6 , 33

Climate equity: The principle of being fair and impartial and a basis for understanding how the impacts and responses to climate change, including costs and benefits, are distributed in and by society in more or less equal ways. Often aligned with ideas of equality, fairness, and justice and applied with respect to equity in the responsibility for, and distribution of, climate impacts and policies across society, generations, and gender, and in the sense of who participates and controls the processes of decision-making. 7

Health equity: The attainment of the highest level of health for all people, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their optimal health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, preferred language, or other factors that affect access to care and health outcomes. 38

Social equity: The consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals—including individuals who belong to underserved communities and communities of color, people who belong to communities that may face discrimination, and people who live in rural areas—who have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life. 39

Flash flood: A flood caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than six hours. Flash floods can occur within minutes or a few hours of excessive rainfall. They can also occur even if no rain has fallen, for instance, after a levee or dam has failed or after a sudden release of water by a debris or ice jam. 44

The moral or legal principles of fairness and equity in the way people are treated, often based on the ethics and values of society. 7 Related term: Equity.

Climate justice: Justice that links development and human rights to achieve a human-centered 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. 7 Related term: Just transition.

Distributional justice: Allocating resources and opportunities, including access to information, so that no single group or set of individuals receives disproportionate benefits or burdens (Chs. 1, 20). 1

Environmental justice: The just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental decision-making, laws, regulations, policies, and other related activities. 1 , 2 , 59 Related term: Environmental injustice.

Procedural justice: Ensuring that the people interested in and affected by outcomes of decision-making processes are fairly and meaningfully engaged and included (Chs. 1, 20). 1

Recognitional justice: Acknowledging that certain people have borne disparate burdens related to current and historical social injustices and thus may have different needs (Chs. 1, 20). 1

Social justice: Just or fair relations within society that seek to address the distribution of wealth, access to resources, opportunity, and support according to principles of justice and fairness. 7

Describes the human use of land. It represents the economic and cultural activities (e.g., agricultural, residential, industrial, mining, and recreational uses) that are practiced at a given place. Land use differs from land cover in that some uses are not always physically obvious. 60 Related term: Land cover.

Climate mitigation: Measures to reduce the amount and rate of future climate change by reducing emissions of heat-trapping gases or removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 2

Hazard mitigation: Any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards. 65

The ability to prepare for threats and hazards, adapt to changing conditions, and withstand and recover rapidly from adverse conditions and disruptions. 1

Climate resilience: The capacity of interconnected social, economic, and ecological systems to cope with a climate change event, trend, or disturbance, responding or reorganizing in ways that maintain their essential function, identity, and structure. Climate resilience is a subset of resilience against climate-induced or climate-related impacts. 1 , 7 Related terms: Hazard, Risk, Vulnerability.

Community resilience: The ability of communities to withstand and recover and learn from past cumulative or compounding disasters to strengthen future response and recovery efforts. This can include, but is not limited to, physical and psychological health of the population, social and economic equity and well-being of the community, effective risk communication, integration of organizations (governmental and nongovernmental) in planning, response, and recovery. 76

Ecological resilience: The capacity of natural systems subject to instability to absorb disturbances without shifting to a fundamentally different ecosystem domain. 1 , 77 , 78

Threats to life, health, and safety, the environment, economic well-being, and other things of value. Risks are evaluated in terms of how likely they are to occur (probability) and the damages that would result if they did happen (consequences). 2 , 5

Transition risk: A risk associated with uncertain impacts, including financial and economic, that could result from a transition to a net-zero emissions economy. 80 Related term: Net-zero CO2 emissions

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Likelihood

Virtually Certain Very Likely Likely As Likely as Not Unlikely Very Unikely Exceptionally Unlikely
99%–100% 90%–100% 66%–100% 33%–66% 0%–33% 0%–10% 0%–1%

Confidence Level

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