Commodification: Process of turning formerly free resources or public services, like fresh air, water or education, into commodities (products that can be bought and sold). As a result, the market logic of optimisation is applied to more and more areas of human life.
Decommodification: Reverting the trend of commodification by withdrawing resources or services from being traded on markets like commodities.
Decoupling, absolute: Emissions and/or material consumption decreases, while economic output grows.
Decoupling, relative: Emission intensity or material intensity per unit decreases (e.g. less emissions per vehicle produced) relative to economic output. However, in absolute terms, emissions may rise (e.g. if more vehicles are produced).
Great acceleration: The exponential growth dynamics of biophysical as well as socio-economic indicators. It shows the unintended consequences (due to drastic human impact) of capitalism´s success story.
Imperial mode of living: Non-sustainable lifestyle of Europe and the US built on global inequalities and exploitation of the Global South.
Sustainability, weak: Maintaining a sustainable stock means maintaining the overall value of the capital stock. Natural capital, physical capital and human capital are thereby interchangeable and can be substituted by one another.
Sustainability, strong: Maintaining a sustainable stock means maintaining irreplaceable ‘stocks’ of critical natural resources and ecosystems, on which the economy and social life depend. Those must not be substituted.
Tipping points: Point at which a previously linear development changes abruptly due to a strong acceleration, certain feedback loops or changes of direction.
