Science and Development Network
News, views and information about science, technology and the developing world
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Definitions
Below is a directory of terms used in the debate about climate change and insect-borne disease. Most of the terms have been reproduced from the WHO, US Environment Protection Agency, the UN University Institute of Advanced Studies, the Center for International Forestry Research, and the Meridian Institute.
Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world today. Long-term development planning must now include measures to deal with it.
C
Climate
Usually defined as the 'average weather'. More rigorously it is the statistical description of the mean and variability of factors such as temperature, precipitation and wind over a period of time ranging from months to thousands or millions of years.
Climate variability
Variations in the mean and other statistics (standard deviation and outliers for example) of the climate on all temporal and spatial scales beyond individual weather events. Variability may be due to natural internal processes within the climate system or to variations in natural or anthropogenic external forces.
D
Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY)
An indicator of life expectancy combining mortality and morbidity into a summary measure of population health. This accounts for the number of years lived in less than optimal health and the time lost due to premature death. It was developed for calculating global disease burden and is also used by the WHO and the World Bank for example, to compare the outcomes of different interventions.
Disease burden
The impact of a health problem measured in terms of economic cost, mortality, morbidity, or other indicators. It is often quantified using Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs).
E
Early warning system
A disease surveillance and response system designed to detect, as early as possible, any change from the usual or normally-observed frequency or phenomenon.
El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
El Niño, in its original sense, is a warm water current that periodically flows along the coast of Ecuador and Peru. This event is associated with a fluctuation of the intertropical surface pressure patterns and circulation in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, called the Southern Oscillation. This coupled atmosphere-ocean phenomenon is collectively known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation or ENSO. During an El Niño event, the prevailing trade winds weaken and the equatorial counter current strengthens. This causes warm surface waters in the Indonesian area to flow eastward to overlie the cold waters of the Peru current. This event greatly impacts wind, sea surface temperature, and precipitation patterns in the tropical Pacific. It has climatic effects throughout the Pacific region and in many other parts of the world. The opposite of an El Niño event is called La Niña.
Emissions
Emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols associated with human activities. These include fossil fuel burning for energy, deforestation and land use changes that result in net increases in emissions.
Extreme weather events
Severe weather, such as floods, hurricanes and tornadoes.
G
Greenhouse effect
The effect caused by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapour that allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere. They also prevent most outgoing infra-red radiation from the surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space. This process occurs naturally but is enhanced by human activities such as fossil fuel consumption that emits greenhouse gases and increases their concentrations in the atmosphere.
H
Health system
The often complex set of people, institutions, resources and policies that exist to serve the health needs of a population. Health systems fulfil three main functions: health care delivery, fair treatment for all, and meeting non-health expectations of the population.
M
Monitoring
Performance and analysis of routine measurements to detect changes in the environment or health status of populations. Not to be confused with surveillance, although surveillance techniques may be used in monitoring.
Morbidity
Rate of occurrence of disease or other health disorders within a population, taking account of age-specific morbidity rates.
Mortality
Rate of occurrence of death within a population within a specified time period.
O
Offset
A process by which carbon emissions released by activities such as deforestation are balanced, or offset, by conservation or mitigation activities elsewhere.
P
Particulate matter
Small particles of matter such as dust and soot that are suspended in the air. Particulate matter is emitted from sources such as motor vehicles, some industrial processes and forest fires.
S
Surveillance
Continuous analysis, interpretation and feedback of systematically collected data. Data is used to detect trends in disease spread or occurrence based on practical and standardised methods of notification or registration. Sources of data may be related directly to disease or factors influencing disease.
T
Transmission
The passing of a disease from an infected individual or group to a previously uninfected individual or group. The bacteria and viruses that cause disease can be transmitted from one person to another in various ways, including direct or indirect contact, through the air, via contaminated food or water, or through insects or other animals — vectors — that carry the disease.
V
Vector-borne disease
Diseases that are transmitted by the bite of vectors such as mosquitoes or ticks. The more common vector-borne diseases include dengue fever, malaria, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, Rift Valley fever, chikungunya and yellow fever.
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