Definitions of Critical Nomenclature in Environmental Discussion

One need not look further than the use of the word sustainable to realise that meaning is critical to our shared understanding of the most pertinent discussions concerning the environment. But the need for clear definitions extends to words we believe to be used correctly, and whose meaning we believe is universal. Fortunately, terminology like “Life Cycle Assessment” has been clearly defined, but others like sustainability, sustainable material management, low impact mining, and even “environment” have yet to have universally agreed upon definitions. This paper will put forward definitions for relevant terms used in the context of the CIRP series of LCE conferences and by organizations such as the European Union (EU), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).