Glossary
The definitions in this glossary were gathered from a variety of sources, including the two listed below. There are several good on-line climate change glossaries, but two linked here are excellent:
International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association
Climate Change Glossary, United States Environmental Protection Agency
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | K | M | N | O | R | S | W
Anthropogenic Emissions
Emissions of greenhouse gases associated with human activities. These include burning of fossil fuels for energy, deforestation, land-use changes and emissions of other GHGs.
Atmosphere
The envelope of gases surrounding the earth and bound to it by the earth’s gravitational attraction. The atmosphere is divided into layers: the troposphere (from ground level to between 8–17 km); the stratosphere (up to 50 km); the mesosphere (50–90 km); and the thermosphere which forms the transition zone to outer space.
Biofuel
A fuel produced from dry organic matter or combustible oils produced by plants. Examples of biofuel include alcohols (from fermented sugar), black liquor from the paper manufacturing process, wood and soybean oil.
Biomass
The total dry organic matter or stored energy content of living organisms. Biomass can be used for fuel directly by burning it (such as wood), indirectly by fermentation to an alcohol (such as sugar) or extraction of combustible oils (such as soybeans).
Carbon Cycle
The natural processes that govern the exchange of carbon in various forms among the atmosphere, ocean and terrestrial systems.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
The greenhouse gas that occurs naturally in the atmosphere, but whose concentrations are increasing by the largest amount from human activities. The largest source is fossil fuel combustion.
Carbon Sequestration
The long-term storage of carbon or carbon dioxide in the forests, soils, ocean, or underground in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, coal seams and saline aquifers.
Carbon Sinks
Natural or man-made systems that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store them. Trees, plants and the oceans all absorb CO2 and are carbon sinks.
Carbon Tax
A tax placed on carbon emissions.
Climate
The average weather (usually over a 30-year time period) for a particular region or time period.
Climate Change
A significant change from one climatic condition to another.
Deforestation
The removal of forest stands by cutting and burning to provide land for agricultural purposes, residential or industrial building sites, roads, etc., or by harvesting the trees for building materials or fuel.
Desertification
The destruction or decrease in vegetation cover that creates desert.
Ecosystem
The interacting system of a biological community and its non-living environmental surroundings.
Emission
The release of a substance (in the case of climate change, emission usually refers to a gas) into the atmosphere.
Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
The natural greenhouse effect that has been enhanced by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases.
Fossil Fuels
Carbon-based fuels formed in the ground over very long periods, including coal, oil and natural gas.
Fuel Cell
An electrochemical device, like a battery, that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, heat and water. The source of hydrogen can be either pure hydrogen or a number of other fuels (such as methanol or other hydrocarbons) which are first converted to hydrogen and CO2.
Global Warming
An increase in the near-surface temperature of the earth.
Greenhouse Effect
The trapping of heat by naturally occurring heat-retaining atmospheric gases (water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and ozone) that keeps the earth about 30° C (60° F) warmer than if these gases did not exist.
Greenhouse Gases, or GHGs
Any gas that absorbs infra-red radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halogenated flurocarbons (HCFCs), ozone (O3), perfluorinated carbons (PFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Heat-Island Effect
Localized warming produced in cities due to the density of infrastructure, such as pavement, buildings and roads that retain heat. This effect can influence temperature readings obtained from nearby weather stations.
Ice Core
A cylinder-shaped section of ice removed from a glacier or an ice sheet in order to study climate patterns of the past.
Kyoto Protocol
The Protocol requires countries listed in its Annex B (developed nations) to meet reduction targets for their emissions of certain greenhouse gases relative to 1990 levels by 2008–12. It was adopted by all Parties to the Climate Convention in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997.
Methane, or CH4
One of the six greenhouse gases to be controlled under the Kyoto Protocol, it has a relatively short atmospheric lifetime. Primary sources of methane are landfills, coal mines, paddy fields, natural gas systems and livestock.
Nitrous Oxide, or N2O
One of the six greenhouse gases to be controlled under the Kyoto Protocol, it is generated by burning fossil fuels and the manufacture of fertilizer.
Ozone
Ozone (O3) is a greenhouse gas. In the troposphere, or lower part of the atmosphere, O3 can be a constituent of smog. It is created naturally and also by reactions in the atmosphere involving gases resulting from human activities, including NOx, or nitrogen oxides, from motor vehicles and power plants.
Renewables
Energy sources that are constantly renewed by natural process. These include non-carbon technologies such as solar energy, hydropower and wind as well as technologies based on biomass. Life cycle analyses are required to assess the extent to which such biomass-based technologies may limit net carbon emissions.
Sulphur Hexafluoride, or SF6
One of the greenhouse gases to be curbed under the Kyoto Protocol. It is largely used in heavy industry to insulate high-voltage equipment and to assist in the manufacturing of cable-cooling systems.
Weather
The short-term state of the atmosphere – or the specific condition of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. Weather is measured in wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness and precipitation. In most places weather can change from hour to hour, day to day and season to season.
