Glossary

Biodiversity

The diversity of life in all its forms (fauna and flora)—the diversity of species, of genetic variations within one species, and of ecosystems.

Biomass production

The collection of ground plant material through regular harvesting and removal. The harvested biomass material may subsequently be utilized for other economically productive purposes.

Blended finance

An approach that involves the use of public and philanthropic to change the risk/return profile of investment projects to attract the private sector capital. It is a structuring approach that involves using grants, concessional and non-concessional development finance to mobilize additional finance from public and private sources.

Blueing the Black Sea Program (BBSEA)

Supports actions (under Black Sea Economic Cooperation) for improving the environmental health of the Black Sea and introduce sustainable practices to increase the social and economic benefits of Black Sea catchment population, engage public, private sector and civil society for pollution prevention.

Building with nature

Design approach for the realisation of Nature-Based Solutions by embedding natural processes in hydraulic engineering while taking the natural, social, and economic systems into account. The Building with Nature approach can help to scale up the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (Ecoshape).

Climate change adaptation

Climate change adaptation is the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects. In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm or to exploit beneficial opportunities. In some natural systems, human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate and its effects (IPCC, 2014b).

Constructed wetlands

Newly created wetlands that seek to emulate aspects of their natural counterparts. They are reliable wastewater treatment that are supported by nature and able to treat high loads of wastewater to the desired effluent quality while maintaining the surrounding ecosystem.

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA)

A decision tool which judges the desirability of projects by comparing their costs and benefits. Cost-benefit analysis of NBS accounts for benefits beyond water quality treatment and can be an essential step in achieving efficient investments and support across multiple sectors.

Diffuse (Non-point source)

Caused by a variety of activities that have no specific point of discharge. Agriculture is a key source of diffuse pollution, but urban land, forestry, atmospheric deposition, and rural dwellings can also be important sources.

DSS

Decision Support Systems

Ecological engineering

The design of sustainable ecosystems that integrate human society with its natural environment for the benefit of both.

Ecosystem

A dynamic complex of vegetable, animal and microorganism communities and their non-living environment that interact as a functional unit.

Eutrophication

Characterized by excessive plant and algal growth due to the increased availability of one or more limiting growth factors needed for photosynthesis. Human activities accelerate the rate and extent of eutrophication through both point-source discharges and non-point loadings of limiting nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus into aquatic ecosystems.

Engineering with Nature

The intentional of natural and engineering processes to deliver economic, environmental, and social benefits efficiently and sustainably through collaborative processes (USAGE).

GIS

Geographic Information Systems

Green infrastructure

A subset of nature-based solutions that preserves, enhances, or restores elements of a natural system with the aim to produce more resilient and lower cost infrastructure services.

Grey infrastructure

Built structures and mechanical equipment, such as reservoirs, embankments, pipes, pumps, water treatment plants, and canals. These engineered solutions are embedded within watersheds or coastal ecosystems whose hydrological and environmental attributes profoundly affect the performance of the grey infrastructure.

Improved agricultural practices

Approaches to support improved agricultural production with a range of on- and off-farm benefits.

Municipal wastewater

A dilute mixture of domestic, trade (industrial), surface runoff, and to a lesser extent infiltration from the subsoil.

Nature-based solutions (NBS)

Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience (EU).

Actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits (IUCN).

Approach the uses natural systems to provide critical services, such as wetlands for flood mitigation or mangroves to reduce the impact of waves, storm surge, and coastal erosion. These solutions can also synergize with grey infrastructure, forming so-called “hybrid” solutions (WB).

Nature-based Solutions approach (NBS approach)

The crux of the matter, effectively espousing the need for modern society to return to an equilibrium with nature.

Point-source pollution

Any contaminant that enters the environment from an easily identified and confined place. Municipal wastewater treatment plants are one of the common sources of point-source pollution. Effluent from a treatment plant can introduce nutrients and harmful microbes into waterways.

Ponds

Water bodies storing surface run-off.

Primary treatment

Removes material that will either float or readily settle out by gravity. It includes the physical processes of screening, grit removal, and sedimentation.

PPP

Public-Private Partnership; (Long-term) commitments between private and public parties, to provide a public asset or service.

Raw (domestic) sewage

Domestic wastewater without receiving any pre-treatment and domestic wastewater after preliminary treatment that enables removal of coarse suspended solids (larger material and sand), i.e. through screens or racks.

Reforestation

Restoration of forests in areas where forests were previously removed or destroyed.

Riparian buffers

Riparian buffers are strips of land (vegetated and woodland) located in and around cropped fields and alongside watercourses.

River-diluted

Secondary treated wastewater diluted by river water

Secondary treatment

Removes the soluble organic matter that escapes primary treatment. Removal is usually accomplished by biological processes in which microorganisms consume the organic material as food, converting them into carbon dioxide, water, and energy for their own growth and reproduction.

Tertiary treatment

Tertiary treated domestic wastewater, where e.g. nitrate-nitrogen, total phosphorus, pathogens, inorganic dissolved solids and remaining suspended solids have been removed. This final treatment step can be achieved by one or a combination of different technologies depending on the scope.

Trans-boundary waters

Aquifers and lake and river basins shared by two or more countries (e.g. Danube). The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) is an important a transnational body that works to ensure the sustainable and equitable use of waters in the Danube River Basin.

WEF Nexus

Interaction of resource exploitation between three essential elements (Water, Energy, Food) for human society. NBS is identified as a key concept within water-energy-food nexus due to their multiple benefits. Addresses the consumption of ecosystem resources, water, energy, food and by default, land, soil and social-economic factors (FAO).