SW-NCA-color-FINALweb

GlossaryA2 – a greenhouse gas emissions scenario used as input into global climate models toproject climate changes in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, as described in its SpecialReport on Emissions Scenarios. This scenario assumes a future with a high populationgrowth rate, slow economic development rate, slow technological change and fossilfuels use at rates slightly lower than observed in historical records. This combinationresults in higher GHG emissions and substantially increased global temperatures.accrete – build up through gradual accumulation, can refer to the increase in size of atectonic plate by addition of material as well as process where coastal sediments returnto the beach following storm erosionacequia – shared system of irrigation ditches used by farmers in New Mexicoacidification, ocean acidification – increase in the pH of the oceans from the absorptionof atmospheric CO 2. Some scientific evidence shows that ocean acidification affectsshellfish, such as oysters and clams.acre foot – the amount of water required to cover one acre of water one foot deep, equalto 43,560 cubic feet. This is approximately the amount of water used by two and a halfhouseholds in one year.adaptation – increasing the readiness and resilience of sectors to reduce the impacts ofclimate change; preparing and planning for climate change, minimizing those impactsthat cannot be avoided and turning expected climate changes into opportunities whereverpossibleadaptation barriers – barriers that prevent or limit response to change; these includeinstitutional, economic, regulatory, or attitudinal barriersadaptive capacity – the ability (of a household, community, or other unit of organization)to reduce its vulnerability to climate-related risks through coping strategies such asapplication of social, technical, or financial resourcesadaptive pathway – intentionally adaptive operations or strategies responsive to climaticchangeaerosol – “a collection of airborne solid or liquid particles, with a typical size between0.01 and 10 micrometer (a millionth of a meter) that reside in the atmosphere for at leastseveral hours. For example, dust, or small particles ejected from a volcano. Aerosols maybe of either natural or anthropogenic origin. Aerosols may influence climate in severalways: directly through scattering and absorbing radiation, and indirectly through actingas cloud condensation nuclei or modifying the optical properties and lifetime of clouds.”(From IPCC Technical Paper—Climate Change and Water)agricultural drought – a period of low soil moisture sufficiently long or severe that itaffects cropsair gap – the space between the bottom of a bridge and the top of a ship sailing under it483