Climate Change – Glossary of key terms

This glossary gives an overview of current climate change terminology.  

The glossary is separated in to four areas:

• Carbon & Climate Science
• Energy, Technology and Renewables
• Carbon Accounting and Management
• Carbon Trading and International Mechanisms

 

Carbon & Climate Science

This section of the glossary provides explanations of key carbon and climate change scientific terms important in understanding carbon management.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
The most abundant of the greenhouse gases, CO₂ currently contributes to around 75% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.  It is produced as a by-product of oil and gas production, burning fossil fuels and biomass. All animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms also produce CO₂.  It has a global warming potential of 1.

 Carbon Sequestration
Carbon sequestration refers to the capture and long-term storage of carbon in forests and soils or in the oceans. For example trees and other plants sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow, through the process of photosynthesis.

 Direct emissions
Emissions of greenhouse gases from sources within the boundary or control of an organisation or facility's processes or actions. In the WRI/ WBCSD Protocol these are also referred to as Scope 1 emissions. Examples of direct emissions include burning of fossil fuels for energy and transportation and emissions from industrial processes.

Global Warming Potential (GWP)
The GWP enables a comparison to be drawn between the six Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases. The GWP is a relative scale, where CO₂ = 1. The other gases are given a number based on their effect on the atmosphere relative to CO₂.  The GWP changes relative to the time horizon, for example Methane has a GWP of 21 over 100 years, meaning it has 21 times the amount of heating capacity of CO₂.

Greenhouse gases (GHG)
GHGs in the earth’s atmosphere absorb and re-emit infrared radiation. The Kyoto Protocol lists six major greenhouse gases, which vary in their relative warming effect. The six gases are: carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), PFCs (perfluorocarbons) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆). (Click for more information on each of the greenhouse gases)

Greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is a term that describes how natural gases in the earth's atmosphere allow infrared radiation from the sun to warm the earth's surface, but they also prevent much of the heat escaping from the earth’s atmosphere. Human actions are increasing the concentrations of these gases, which is contributing to global climate change.

Indirect emissions
Emissions that are a consequence of the activities of an organisation but occur from sources owned or controlled by another organisation. In the WRI/WBCSD Protocol these are also refered to as Scope 2 emissions. A company’s scope 2 indirect emissions include for example the consumption of purchased electricity, heat or steam and emissions from company owned vehicles. Scope 3 indirect emissions include transport related activities in vehicles not owner or controlled by the organisation, out sourced activities, air travel and waste disposal.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)  
IPCC is a scientific intergovernmental panel set up by the World Metreological Organisation and by UNEP. It provides reports which assess the latest scientific, technical and socio-economic evidence on climate change. With representatives from 130 nations it is the world's pre-eminent scientific advisory body on climate change.

Renewable resources
A natural resource qualifies as a renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable to its rate of consumption. Wind, solar, oxygen, fresh water, timber, and biomass can all be considered renewable resources. However they can become non-renewable resources if used at a rate greater than the environment's capacity to replenish them. Renewable resources are used in the production of renewable energy.

Top

 

Energy, Technology and Renewables

This section of the glossary provides information on understanding renewable energy and current technological advances in addressing climate change.

Biofuels
Biofuels are renewable fuels made from biomass that can be used to supplement or replace the fossil fuels, including petroleum and diesel, used in transport. The two main biofuels currently used are ethanol and biodiesel. Ethanol is produced from the fermentation of sugar or starch in crops such as corn and sugar cane. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils in crops such as soybean, or from animal fats.

Energy Efficiency
Reducing the amount of energy used for a given service or level of activity in order to produce the same level of end-use service. Energy efficiency improvements are predominantly achieved through using technologically more edvanced equipment. For example, using compact fluorescent light globes reduces the amount of electricity required for lighting.  

Geosequestration
Also known as carbon capture and storage (CCS), geosequestration is the process of capture, transport, injection and storage of CO₂ in underground geological formations for the primary purpose of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

Renewable energy
Energy produced from renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal energy and biofuels. 

Top

 

Carbon Accounting and Management

This section of the glossary covers key terms that are important in understanding and implementing carbon management strategies.

Abatement
A reduction in the amount or intensity of greenhouse gas emissions as a result of actions taken by a company or individual.

Adaptation
In order to adapt to the effects of climate change actions must be undertaken to help communities adjust, through behaviour change, design and delivery of services and planning and infrastructure. Action must also be taken to protect our natural assets and ecosystems.

Base year
A specific year or an average over multiple years against which emissions are tracked over time.

Carbon credit
A generic term to assign a value to a reduction or offset of greenhouse gas emissions. A carbon credit is usually equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent  (CO₂-e). A carbon credit can be used by a business or individual to reduce their carbon footprint by investing in an activity that has reduced or sequestered greenhouse gases at another site.

Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂-e)
CO₂-e is a measurement to express the relative effect to Carbon dioxide a specific amount of greenhouse gases has. It is calculated by multiplying the amount of tonnes of the greenhouse gas by its global warming potential.

Carbon footprint
A form of carbon calculation that measures the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent that a country, a business, an industry or an individual produces or is responsible for. The footprint calculates the direct and indirect level of CO₂-e emissions. Direct emissions include the burning of fossil fuels for energy and transportation and indirect emissions focus on the whole lifecyle of products from procuring raw materials to waste management.

Carbon neutral
A voluntary mechanism where an activity, event, household, business or organization is responsible for no net emissions of greenhouse gases and can therefore be declared carbon neutral in that specific area. Carbon neutrality can be achieved reducing emissions as far as possible (e.g. energy efficiency, purchasing renewable energy) and then purchasing offsets for any residual emissions in order to achieve zero net emissions. For further information on carbon neutral see here.   

Carbon offset
A carbon offset is a monetary investment in a project or activity elsewhere that abates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or sequesters carbon from the atmosphere that is used to compensate for GHG emissions from your own activities. Offsets can be bought by a business or individual in the voluntary market (or within a trading scheme), a carbon offset usually represents one tonne of CO₂-e. For further information on carbon offsets see here.

Carbon price
An economic value placed on the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from human activity. A carbon price usually takes the form of either a carbon tax or as the cost of permits in an Emissions Trading Scheme. The price is designed to create an incentive to reduce emissions.

Carbon tax
A form of carbon price on greenhouse gas emissions where a fixed price is set by the government for carbon emissions for certain sectors. The price is often passed through from business to consumers.

Ecological Footprint
A resource accounting tool that can measure how much land and water area a person or a specific group, for example, an event, a business, a city or a country requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its waste. The footprint is measured in global hectares (gha). The average Victorian needs 8.1 global hectares of land to sustain his or her lifestyle. If everyone on the planet lived like Victorians, we would need more than four Earths to support us.

Food Miles
A calculation of the distance and mode of transport foodstuffs have traveled throughout the complete production process and until they reach the consumer. These calculations enable simple comparisons to be drawn between the use of energy and the level of greenhouse gas emissions associated with different food products.

Greenhouse Gas Protocol
The GHG protocol is an international accounting tool for government and business developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development  (WBCSD). The protocol provides an international standard reporting system that can be used for every aspect of reporting, from national to small business. (For more information see www.ghgprotocol.org)

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
LCA is the investigation and valuation of the environmental, economic and social impacts of a product or service. A product’s life cycle starts when the raw materials are extracted from the earth through to processing, transport, use, reuse, recycling or disposal.  For each of these stages, the impact is measured in terms of the resources used and environmental impacts caused.

Top

 

Carbon Trading and International Mechanisms

In Australia and globally it is acknowledged that in order to address climate change the development of a carbon market is extremely important, this section covers key terms surrounding carbon trading domestically and internationally.

Annex I
As agreed through the Kyoto Protocol, Annex I is a list made up of industrialized countries that have committed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a collective average of 5.2% by the first commitment period (2008-2012) from 1990 levels. Australia’s target is 108% of 1990 levels for the first commitment period.

Cap and Trade
A specific type of emissions trading system where total emissions are limited or 'capped'. Permits are allocated or auctioned up to the set cap, and a market allows those participants emitting less than their quota to sell their excess permits to emitters needing to buy extra to meet their cap.

Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)
An ETS can operate within businesses, states, countries and internationally. Through an ETS an organisation is allocated an allowance for the amount of greenhouse gases it can produce. These systems allow those who reduce emissions beyond their obligations to sell their excess emission capacity to others within the ETS who are unable to meet their own emission reduction targets. There are two broad types of emissions trading schemes, cap and trade and ‘baseline and credit’.

Garnaut Climate Change Review
Australia’s State and Territory Governments commissioned the Review in April 2007 and the results will assist in guiding the Australian government in developing its policy responses to climate change. The final report will be published by 30 September 2008 and will examine the impacts of climate change on the Australian economy, and recommend medium to long-term policies.

Kyoto Protocol
An international agreement linked to the UNFCCC and sharing its aim of stabilizing atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, but requiring separate ratification by governments.The Kyoto Protocol, among other things, sets binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions by industrialised countries. It entered into force for ratifying countries in February 2006 and commits developed nations to collectively cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2 per cent of 1990 levels by 2008-2012. It came into force in Australia on 11 March 2008.

Kyoto Protocol Mechanisms
The three market-based mechanisms introduced by the Kyoto Protocol are Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI) and Emissions Trading. CDM enables developed countries to generate tradeable credits by setting up projects that reduce greenhouse gases in developing countries. The JI mechanism allows developed countries to earn emission reduction units when they finance projects in another developed country that reduce net greenhouse gas emissions. Under the Kyoto Protocol Emissions Trading enables developed countries to trade emissions credits in order to reach their emissions targets.

Permit
A permit is a legal permission authorising the holder to emit a defined quantity of greenhouse gases. In an emissions trading scheme a permit is usually equivalent to one tonne of CO₂-e. If a company emits less greenhouse gases than authorised they can sell their permits within the trading scheme.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
UNFCCC was established in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit and currently has 189 signatory parties. An international framework was agreed that aimed at stabilising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. The UNFCCC agreed  to the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 to implement emission reductions in industrialised countries.

Top

 

If the word you are looking for is not here, please follow the link to the Carbon Offset Guide Glossary.

Top