Glossary of terms
Activity data
is data on the magnitude of human activity resulting in emissions/removals taking place during a given period of time (e.g. data on land area, refrigerant leakage, or lime and fertilizer use).
Adaptation
refers to the ability of individuals, groups and natural systems to prepare for and respond to changes in climate or their environment (IPCC, 2001). While mitigation tackles the causes of climate change, adaptation tackles the effects of the experience, and both are therefore crucial in reducing vulnerability to climate change.
Additionality
is an eligibility criteria for the various carbon emission trading mechanisms which serves to prove that the emission reductions are greater than (or in addition to those that) would have occurred in the business-as-usual scenario.
Anthropogenic emissions
are greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by human activities.
Baseline
is a level or year against which subsequent greenhouse gas emissions are measured against. For example, the results from your first carbon footprint audit will serve as your baseline, or starting point, against which your subsequent annual carbon audits will be measured against.
Cap and Trade
an approach to limiting greenhouse gas emissions where a maximum emission level is set (a cap) to a certain unit of pollution level, for a region or nation. Companies or governments who pollute less that the capped amount, and thus have a carbon emission "credit" can trade with those entities that are not able to meet the requirements (i.e. are in debt).
Carbon credit
is a certified carbon dioxide emission displacement credit; supposed to be equal to one tonne of carbon dioxide removed from that atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
is the gaseous form of carbon and the most abundant form of human-induced greenhouse gas emission and therefore the unit of measure against which all other GHG emissions are measured.
Carbon dioxide equavilent (CO2e)
is a unit of measurements that compares the global warming contribution of other greenhouse gases, to that of carbon dioxide for standardization. For example, 1 unit of nitrous oxide = 298 units of CO2e.
Carbon pool
is a component of the air, land or sea that has the capability to store or accumulate GHGs that are removed or captures from the atmosphere.
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
is a mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that allows industrial (or developed) countries to meet their emission reduction targets by investing in low- or no-emission projects in developing nations, thereby stimulating investment in sustainable development technologies within developing countries.
Emission trading
is a market approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a trading mechanism that allows parties that emit less than is required by their countries mandate to trade or sell excess pollution credits to those that emit more than are allowed. The European Union's Emission Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) is a mandatory trading scheme currently in place, while the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) is a voluntary trading programme.
Emission factor
is a mathematical factor that converts activity data, such as fuel usage (litres), in to emission values (tCO2e/litre fuel).
Equity share approach
is the guidance offered by the GHG Protocol whereby ownership of the GHG emissions are based on the economic interest of the activity, typically, the equity share in the operation is aligned with the applicant's percentage ownership of that operation.
Global warming potential (GWP)
expresses a gas's heat trapping power relative to carbon dioxide over a particular time period- most commonly a 100 years.
Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
are atmospheric gases that in natual quantities form a thin layer in the atmosphere and regulate the way the atmosphere absorbs and releases energy from the sun. This keeps the earth about 30 degrees Celsius warmer, thus allowing life on earth to exist. However, since the industrial revolution, there has been an excessive build up of GHGs. The result is similar to what happens in a greenhouse- heat is absorbed and 'trapped' causing temperatures and humidity to change - hence the term 'Greenhouse Effect'. The GHGs included in the Kyoto Protocol and most international reporting include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N20), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
The IPCC
(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is the international scientific body established in 1988 to provide an objective and neutral source of information on climate change. The IPCC releases period assessment reports that are reviewed and approved by experts and governments.
Kyoto Protocol
is a binding agreement that requires 37 countries and the European Union to reduce their anthropogenic greenhouse gases by 5% collectively from the baseline 1990 levels by the end of the first commitement period, which is 2008-2012. It was adopted in 1997, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and lays out specifc steps countries must take to comply. To date, more than 184 countries, including South Africa, have signed the Protocol, which entered in to force on 16 February 2005.
Land use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF)
Land-use refers to the type of activity being carried out on a unit of land, such as forest land, cropland and grassland. This includes GHG emissions/removals resulting from land use (involving no change in use, such as forest remaining forest land) and land-use changes (involving changes in land-use, such as grassland converted to forest land or forest land converted to cropland) which affect the amount of biomass in existing biomass stocks (e.g. forest, village trees, savanna) and soil carbon stocks.
Mitigation
Climate change mitigation is defined as any human action taken to permanently eliminate or reduce the source, or enhance the sinks, of greenhouse gases (IPCC, 2001). While mitigation tackles the causes of climate change, adaptation tackles the effects of the experience, and both are therefore crucial in reducing vulnerability to climate change.
Offsetting
results in a reduction in the net emissions associated with a process or product through the purchase (or otherwise acquiring or causing) of a reduction in GHG emissions from another location.
Organisational boundary
is the boundary that determines the operations and subsidiaries owned or controlled by the applicant, depending on the consolidation approach taken (equity or control approach).
Parts per million (ppm)
is a ratio based measure of concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is usually measured in parts per million, however, other less widespread greenhouse gases may be measured in parts per billion. Estimates suggest that we the current CO2 measure is approximately 390 ppm.
REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation)
is a policy that aims to reduce GHG emissions through avoided deforestation and land degradation. In principle, REDD provides financial incentives for countries to maintain and preserve forest land as carbon sinks rather than cutting them down. There are several methodological issues with REDD, such as monitoring and leakage, however the current climate change negotiations are looking at including REDD in the new agreement (Post 2012).
Resilience
is the ability of natural or human systems to survive in the face of great change. To be resilient, the system must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and develop new ways to thrive. In the climate change context, this system is both the human society and the environmental system.
Soil carbon
is the carbon content that is stored in all soil matter.
Source
is any process or activity that releases a GHGs into the atmosphere. A carbon pool can be a source of carbon to the atmosphere if less carbon is flowing into it than is flowing out of it.
Sink
is an activity, mechanism or process, that removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Such removals typically occur in forests (which remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis), soils, and oceans.
UNFCCC
(The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) was adopted on 1992 and established general principles to stablize greenhouse gas concentrations and prevent dangerous human-induced interference with the climate systems. The treaty includes requirements such as preparing national inventories of greenhouse gas emissions, and a committment to reduce emissions to the global 1990 levels. The convention has nearly universal membership, with over 190 signatory countries.
Vulnerability
the degree to which an ecosystem or society faces survival risks due to adverse climate changes. Vulnerability includes susceptibility as well as the ability to adapt. The level of vulnerability determines whether an ecosystem or society can be resilient (see Resilience) in the face of climate change.
Links to other websites
The intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The Carbon trust
GHG Protocol
DEFRA
UNFCCC
Documents to download
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