662
Natural Infrastructure Hard infrastructure that operates largely (not entirely)
without the need for direct human decisions, designs, or investments.
Natural Resources Materials produced by nature that have value to humanity,
including arable land, fish, coal, oil, natural gas, wind, solar radiation, and
water.
Need-to-Know (Data) A data access minimization principle applied to classified
and categorized national security data, such that only those persons with a valid
need to know are allowed access to sensitive data.
Negotiation “The back-and-forth communication designed to reach an agreement
when you and the other side have some interests that are shared and others that
are opposed” (Fisher and Ury 1981).
Neoliberal Economics An economic theory that emphasizes the benefits of economic competition with limited regulation by governments. However, neoliberalism has typically recognized a positive role for some government regulations
in contrast with classical liberal economics which advocated for the smallest
possible regulation by government.
Neo-Malthusian A view of the challenges of providing resources for a population
that emphasizes efforts to limit population growth (in contrast to a cornucopian
view).
Net Energy Analysis (NEA) A methodological framework for accounting the
energy used in the extraction, processing, transportation, conversion, and use of
energy commodities.
Network Level The level of multiple interacting facilities within the same basin,
region, or country.
Non-consumptive (Water) Water use that does not permanently remove water
from the watershed. Examples of non-consumptive use include water used in
hydroelectric power plants; the return flows from irrigation; and, in-stream or
environmental flows. See Consumption and withdrawal.
Non-point Source Pollution Pollution that enters a water body through diffuse
channels, such as agricultural runoff. Non-point sources are comparatively difficult to regulate.
Normative Behavioral Models Models are models of what behavior people
should exhibit in a particular scenario, regardless of what behavior people actually exhibit. (The opposite of positive behavioral models.)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) A trade agreement entered
into in 1994 among the USA, Mexico, and Canada to remove tariffs and streamline trade among the three countries.
No-Till Cropping An agricultural practice of growing crops or pasture (grass/
plants for grazing animals) without tilling (plowing, rototilling, harrowing, rolling, etc.) the soil in order to increase soil fertility and resilience, water infiltration
and retention of nutrients and biota.
Ontology (Data) A set of concepts that name and describe the categories of objects
in a dataset and the relationships between these types.
Origin (Economics) The location in space and time, and the system agent, that
produced and ships a good or service.
Glossary
Natural Infrastructure Hard infrastructure that operates largely (not entirely)
without the need for direct human decisions, designs, or investments.
Natural Resources Materials produced by nature that have value to humanity,
including arable land, fish, coal, oil, natural gas, wind, solar radiation, and
water.
Need-to-Know (Data) A data access minimization principle applied to classified
and categorized national security data, such that only those persons with a valid
need to know are allowed access to sensitive data.
Negotiation “The back-and-forth communication designed to reach an agreement
when you and the other side have some interests that are shared and others that
are opposed” (Fisher and Ury 1981).
Neoliberal Economics An economic theory that emphasizes the benefits of economic competition with limited regulation by governments. However, neoliberalism has typically recognized a positive role for some government regulations
in contrast with classical liberal economics which advocated for the smallest
possible regulation by government.
Neo-Malthusian A view of the challenges of providing resources for a population
that emphasizes efforts to limit population growth (in contrast to a cornucopian
view).
Net Energy Analysis (NEA) A methodological framework for accounting the
energy used in the extraction, processing, transportation, conversion, and use of
energy commodities.
Network Level The level of multiple interacting facilities within the same basin,
region, or country.
Non-consumptive (Water) Water use that does not permanently remove water
from the watershed. Examples of non-consumptive use include water used in
hydroelectric power plants; the return flows from irrigation; and, in-stream or
environmental flows. See Consumption and withdrawal.
Non-point Source Pollution Pollution that enters a water body through diffuse
channels, such as agricultural runoff. Non-point sources are comparatively difficult to regulate.
Normative Behavioral Models Models are models of what behavior people
should exhibit in a particular scenario, regardless of what behavior people actually exhibit. (The opposite of positive behavioral models.)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) A trade agreement entered
into in 1994 among the USA, Mexico, and Canada to remove tariffs and streamline trade among the three countries.
No-Till Cropping An agricultural practice of growing crops or pasture (grass/
plants for grazing animals) without tilling (plowing, rototilling, harrowing, rolling, etc.) the soil in order to increase soil fertility and resilience, water infiltration
and retention of nutrients and biota.
Ontology (Data) A set of concepts that name and describe the categories of objects
in a dataset and the relationships between these types.
Origin (Economics) The location in space and time, and the system agent, that
produced and ships a good or service.
Glossary