661
top- down and bottom-up methods usually meet and is the finest scale at which
aggregated census-style data is often available without running afoul of private
or sensitive data protection procedures.
MESSAGE (Modeling) A modeling framework for medium- to long-term energy
system planning, energy policy analysis, and scenario development developed
by the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). It provides
core inputs for major international assessments and scenarios studies, such as
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the World Energy
Council (WEC), the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), the
European Commission, and the Global Energy Assessment (GEA).
Metadata “Data about data” which describe a dataset’s authorship, contents, format, resolution, timing, provenance, sources, methods, a license of use, globally
unique identification, etc.
Meteorological Drought Drought conditions as measured by the level of precipitation. Compare to agricultural drought and hydrological drought.
Micro-scale A spatial or temporal scale that resolves the individual granular components and processes within a system.
Mode of Transportation The type of infrastructure used to move a good or service, for example, a truck running on a road.
Models A mathematical or intellectual construct that describes a system’s structure
and function. Models are often computerized and quantitative—but may be conceptual. Models capture hypotheses. Models can describe and project.
Modern Renewable Energy Renewable energy sources excluding traditional biomass fuels, and including hydropower, wind, solar, and modern biomass/biofuel—along with (arguably) third generation and newer nuclear sources.
Multi-criteria Decision Analysis A decision-making framework tool that can be
applied to complex problems that require stakeholders to understand, evaluate,
and choose among multiple different alternatives and their trade-offs.
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) An index that measures “overlapping
deprivations suffered by individuals at the same time” in terms of health (nutrition and child mortality), education (years of schooling and children enrolled)
and standards of living (cooking fuel, toilet, water, electricity, floor, and assets).
Nation State A self-governing territory occupied by people under the same government and laws.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) A 1970 federal statute that requires
an environmental impact assessment, and potentially an environmental impact
statement, for any major federal action with significant environmental impacts.
(NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) A system by which
any discharge of pollutants into a navigable body of water must be authorized
by a permit.
Natural Capital An economic metaphor for the limited stocks of physical and biological resources found on earth.
Natural Gas Liquids Petroleum liquids that are produced along with natural gas
when natural gas is the primary objective.
Glossary
top- down and bottom-up methods usually meet and is the finest scale at which
aggregated census-style data is often available without running afoul of private
or sensitive data protection procedures.
MESSAGE (Modeling) A modeling framework for medium- to long-term energy
system planning, energy policy analysis, and scenario development developed
by the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). It provides
core inputs for major international assessments and scenarios studies, such as
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the World Energy
Council (WEC), the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), the
European Commission, and the Global Energy Assessment (GEA).
Metadata “Data about data” which describe a dataset’s authorship, contents, format, resolution, timing, provenance, sources, methods, a license of use, globally
unique identification, etc.
Meteorological Drought Drought conditions as measured by the level of precipitation. Compare to agricultural drought and hydrological drought.
Micro-scale A spatial or temporal scale that resolves the individual granular components and processes within a system.
Mode of Transportation The type of infrastructure used to move a good or service, for example, a truck running on a road.
Models A mathematical or intellectual construct that describes a system’s structure
and function. Models are often computerized and quantitative—but may be conceptual. Models capture hypotheses. Models can describe and project.
Modern Renewable Energy Renewable energy sources excluding traditional biomass fuels, and including hydropower, wind, solar, and modern biomass/biofuel—along with (arguably) third generation and newer nuclear sources.
Multi-criteria Decision Analysis A decision-making framework tool that can be
applied to complex problems that require stakeholders to understand, evaluate,
and choose among multiple different alternatives and their trade-offs.
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) An index that measures “overlapping
deprivations suffered by individuals at the same time” in terms of health (nutrition and child mortality), education (years of schooling and children enrolled)
and standards of living (cooking fuel, toilet, water, electricity, floor, and assets).
Nation State A self-governing territory occupied by people under the same government and laws.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) A 1970 federal statute that requires
an environmental impact assessment, and potentially an environmental impact
statement, for any major federal action with significant environmental impacts.
(NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) A system by which
any discharge of pollutants into a navigable body of water must be authorized
by a permit.
Natural Capital An economic metaphor for the limited stocks of physical and biological resources found on earth.
Natural Gas Liquids Petroleum liquids that are produced along with natural gas
when natural gas is the primary objective.
Glossary