Informing BC Stakeholders

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Glossary beginning with S

S

Scenario

A plausible and often simplified description of how the future may develop, based on a coherent and internally consistent set of assumptions about driving forces and key relationships. Scenarios may be derived from projections, but are often based on additional information from other sources, sometimes combined with a narrative storyline.

[IPCC Fourth Assessment, Working Group I, Appendix I Glossary, p. 951]

Sink

Any process, activity or mechanism that removes a greenhouse gas, an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas or aerosol from the atmosphere.

[IPCC Fourth Assessment, Working Group I, Appendix I Glossary, p. 952]

SRES

The storylines and associated population, GDP and emissions scenarios associated with the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES), and the resulting climate change and sea-level rise scenarios. Four families of socio-economic scenario (A1, A2, B1 and B2) represent different world futures in two distinct dimensions: a focus on economic versus environmental concerns, and global versus regional development patterns.

[IPCC Fourth Assessment, Working Group II, Appendix I Glossary, p. 881]

Stakeholder

A person or an organization that has a legitimate interest in a project or entity, or would be affected by a particular action or policy.

[IPCC Fourth Assessment, Working Group II, Appendix I Glossary, p. 881]

Storm Surge

The temporary increase, at a particular locality, in the height of the sea due to extreme meteorological conditions (low atmospheric pressure and/or strong winds). The storm surge is defined as being the excess above the level expected from the tidal variation alone at that time and place.

[IPCC Fourth Assessment, Working Group I, Appendix I Glossary, p. 952]

Streamflow

Water flow within a river channel, for example expressed in cubic metres per second.

[IPCC Fourth Assessment, Working Group II, Appendix I Glossary, p. 881]

Surface Runoff

The water that travels over the land surface to the nearest surface stream; runoff of a drainage basin that has not passed beneath the surface since precipitation.

[IPCC Fourth Assessment, Working Group II, Appendix I Glossary, p. 881]