Glossary
accreditation
Third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks. (ISO 17000:2004, 5.6) Note: for information about the American National Standards Institute’s accreditation in the United States of greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies, see the ANSI website, https://www.ansica.org/wwwversion2/outside/GHGgeneral.asp?menuID=200. Note: the terms “accreditation” and “certification” are sometimes used as synonyms, although such usage is discouraged by conformity assessment specialists.
adaptation
“Adjustment in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts.” (Attributed to Smit et al., 1999, 2000, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change, 2001, and quoted in “Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change in Least Developed Countries (LDCS),” Saleemul Huq et al. (April 2003), accessed at http://www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/ldc/LDCsreport.pdf on 2009-10-24.)
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
A not-for-profit organization founded in 1918 with the mission to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. (See http://www.ansi.org/about_ansi/overview/overview.aspx?menuid=1.)
Boxer-Kerry bill
A shorthand reference to climate change legislation introduced on September 30, 2009, in the U.S. Senate as S. 1733 by Senators Barbara Boxer of California and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. The text of the bill as introduced is available at http://kerry.senate.gov/cleanenergyjobsandamericanpower/pdf/bill.pdf.
California Air Resources Board
A board, operating under the umbrella authority of the State of California Environmental Protection Agency, charged with establishing and enforcing clean air regulations, including those related to climate change. See http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/cc.htm.
carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere
As of November 2007, the CO2 concentration in Earth’s atmosphere was about 0.0384% by volume, or 384 parts per million by volume (ppmv). This is 100 ppmv (35%) above the 1832 ice core levels of 284 ppmv.[1][2] There is an annual fluctuation of about 3–9 ppmv which roughly follows the Northern Hemisphere’s growing season. The Northern Hemisphere dominates the annual cycle of CO2 concentration because it has much greater land area and plant biomass than the Southern Hemisphere. Concentrations peak in May as the Northern Hemisphere spring greenup begins and reach a minimum in October when the quantity of biomass undergoing photosynthesis is greatest. (Wikipedia article on “Carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere,” accessed on 2009-10-25 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_in_the_Earth%27s_atmosphere.)
carbon intensity
The amount of carbon by weight emitted per unit of energy consumed. A common measure of carbon intensity is weight of carbon per British thermal unit (Btu) of energy. When there is only one fossil fuel under consideration, the carbon intensity and the emissions coefficient are identical. When there are several fuels, carbon intensity is based on their combined emissions coefficients weighted by their energy consumption levels. (TeachMeFinance.com, accessed at http://www.teachmefinance.com/Scientific_Terms/Carbon_intensity.html on 2009-10-24)
carbon footprint
Parameter by which greenhouse gas emissions of a process, a system of processes or a product system are quantified in order to indicate their contribution to climate change. (ISO/WD 14067:2009, Carbon Footprint of Products, Part 1, Quantification.)
carbon neutral
Being carbon neutral, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset. The carbon neutral concept may be extended to include other greenhouse gases (GHG) measured in terms of their carbon dioxide equivalence — the impact a GHG has on the atmosphere expressed in the equivalent amount of CO2. (Wikipedia article on “Carbon neutrality,” accessed on 2009-10-24 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_neutral.)
carbon offset
A carbon offset is a financial instrument aimed at a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) and may represent six primary categories of greenhouse gases. [1] One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases. (Wikipedia article on “Carbon neutrality,” accessed on 2009-10-24 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_offset.)
certification
Third-party attestation related to products, processes, systems or persons (ISO 17000:2004, 5.5). With respect to the certification of persons as greenhouse gas verifiers, see for example the program operated by CSA America (information available at http://www.csa-america.org/personnel_certification/ghg_verifier/. Note: the terms “accreditation” and “certification” are sometimes used as synonyms, although such usage is discouraged by conformity assessment specialists.
Chicago Climate Exchange
The Chicago Climate Exchange is a voluntary cap and trade system for all six greenhouse gases. CCX emitting Members make a voluntary but legally binding commitment to meet annual GHG emission reduction targets. Those who reduce below the targets have surplus allowances to sell or bank; those who emit above the targets comply by purchasing CCX Carbon Financial Instrument® (CFI®) contracts. Information about CCX is available at http://www.chicagoclimatex.com/content.jsf?id=821.
Clean Air Act
A law administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect and improve the nation’s air quality and the stratospheric ozone layer. The last major change in the law, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, was enacted by Congress in 1990. Legislation passed since then has made several minor changes. In 2007 the US Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA that the Clean Air Act gives EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change. (See http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/.)
Climate Action Reserve
A greenhouse gas program and registry for greenhouse gas projects. As a program, the Climate Action Reserve develops greenhouse gas protocols to define requirements for emission reductions and removals. As a registry, the Climate Action Reserve lists and registers projects and issues Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs), a proprietary denomination of offset credit. (See http://www.climateactionreserve.org/.)
climate change
A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. (Definition of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, quoted in “Joint science academies’ statement:
Global response to climate change,” accessed 2009-10-25 at http://www.nationalacademies.org/onpi/06072005.pdf.)
disclosure
Under US Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, publicly traded companies are required to disclose information about material financial impacts attributed to climate change. Other companies, whether publicly traded or not, that have contractual obligations to implement standards published by ASTM International may also be required to disclose information about climate change impacts. For information about SEC regulations, see http://www.sec.gov/about/laws.shtml#sox2002. For information about ASTM International Standards, see http://www.astm.org/DATABASE.CART/WORKITEMS/WK21096.htm.)
emissions trading
Tradable-permit system in which a greenhouse gases emitter (firm or country under obligation to limit its total air pollution emissions to a specified level) can buy/sell permission to emit a certain amount of emissions from/to other emitters (who are below/above their limit). The market price of these permits (called “pollution credits”) reflects the marginal cost of emission reduction and gives an emitter the incentive to install and manage a cost effective pollution control system as an income producing asset. Accumulating emissions reductions for trading is called “banking.” (Definition from businessdictionary.com, accessed on 2009-10-25 at http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/emissions-trading.html.
environmental claim
Statement, symbol or graphic that indicates an environmental aspect of a product, component or packaging. Note: An environmental claim may be made on product or packaging labels, through product literature, technical bulletins, advertising, publicity, telemarketing, as well as through digital or electronic media such as the Internet. (ISO 14021:2001, Environmental labels and declarations—Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labeling), 3.13.)
Environmental Markets Association
The Environmental Markets Association (EMA) is a US-based environmental trade association focused on promoting market-based solutions as the key to combat environmental problems. EMA’s membership includes brokers, traders, consultants, lawyers, academics, government agencies, affected industries (e.g., utilities, manufacturing; transportation, construction), and financial/investment companies centered on the following transactional markets: SO2, NOx, CO2, RECs, ERC offsets. (See http://www.environmentalmarkets.org/index.ww).
European Union Emissions Trading System
The European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS) is the largest multi-national, emissions trading scheme in the world, and is a major pillar of EU climate policy. The ETS currently covers more than 10,000 installations with a net heat excess of 20 MW in the energy and industrial sectors which are collectively responsible for close to half of the EU’s emissions of CO2 and 40% of its total greenhouse gas emissions. (Wikipedia article on “European Union Emission Trading Scheme,” accessed on 2009-10-26 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_Emission_Trading_Scheme).
global warming
Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the last century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century was caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases resulting from human activity such as fossil fuel burning and deforestation. The IPCC also concludes that variations in natural phenomena such as solar radiation and volcanoes produced most of the warming from pre-industrial times to 1950 and had a small cooling effect afterward. These basic conclusions have been endorsed by more than 40 scientific societies and academies of science, including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries. (Wikipedia article on “greenhouse gas,” accessed on 2009-10-26 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming).
greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gases are gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect.[1] The main greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. In our solar system, the atmospheres of Venus, Mars and Titan also contain gases that cause greenhouse effects. Greenhouse gases greatly affect the temperature of the Earth; without them, Earth’s surface would be on average about 33°C (59°F) colder than at present. (Wikipedia article on “greenhouse gas,” accessed on 2009-10-26 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas – cite_note-1
greenhouse gas assertion
Factual and objective declaration made by the responsible party. NOTE 1: The GHG assertion could be presented at a point in time or could cover a period of time. NOTE 2: The GHG assertion provided by the responsible party should be clearly identifiable and capable of consistent evaluation or measurement against suitable criteria by a validator or verifier. NOTE 3: The GHG assertion could be provided in the form of a GHG report or GHG project plan. NOTE 4: Adapted from ISO 14064-3:2006, definition 2.11. (Greenhouse gases—Requirements for greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies for use in accreditation or other forms of recognition, 3.1.2.)
greenhouse gas inventory
An organization’s greenhouse gas sources, greenhouse gas sinks, GHG emissions and removals. (ISO 14064-1:2006, Greenhouse gases—Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, 2.14.)
greenhouse gas project
A [greenhouse gas] project refers to a business initiative that receives funding because of the cut the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that will result. To prove that the project will result in real, permanent, verifiable reductions in Greenhouse Gases, proof must be provided in the form of a project design document and activity reports validated by an approved third party in the case of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or Joint Implementation (JI) projects. (See Wikipedia article on “Carbon Project,” accessed on 2009-10-27 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_project). In addition to the CDM and JI carbon projects, which are developed for use as compliance instruments in the EUETS, carbon projects may also be developed for trading in the voluntary market.
greenhouse gas emission
Total mass of a GHG released to the atmosphere over a specified period of time. (ISO 14064-1:2006, Greenhouse gases—Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, 2.5.)
greenhouse gas removal
Total mass of a GHG removed from the atmosphere over a specified period of time. (ISO 14064-1:2006, Greenhouse gases—Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, 2.6)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
The International Organization for Standardization (Organisation internationale de normalisation), widely known as ISO (pronounced /`aɪsoʊ/), is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on 23 February 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary industrial and commercial standards. It has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. While ISO defines itself as a non-governmental organization, its ability to set standards that often become law, either through treaties or national standards, makes it more powerful than most non-governmental organizations. In practice, ISO acts as a consortium with strong links to governments. (See Wikipedia article on “International Organization for Standardization,” accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Organization_for_Standardization.
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), aimed at combating global warming. The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty with the goal of achieving “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” (See Wikipedia article on “International Organization for Standardization,” accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol.)
life-cycle assessment
Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle. (ISO 14040:2006, Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Principles and framework, 3.2.)
Massachusetts v. EPA
Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, 549 U.S. 497 (2007), is a U.S. Supreme Court case decided 5-4 in which twelve states and several cities of the United States brought suit against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to force that federal agency to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as pollutants. (See Wikipedia article on Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_v._Environmental_Protection_Agency.)
Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Accord
The Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Accord is a regional agreement by six governors of states in the US midwest who are members of the Midwestern Governors Association (MGA) and the Premier of one Canadian province to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change. Signatories to the Accord are the US states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Kansas, and the Canadian Province of Manitoba. Observers of the Accord are Indiana, Ohio, and South Dakota. (See Wikipedia article on Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Accord, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwestern_Greenhouse_Gas_Accord.)
Mitigation of global warming
Mitigation of global warming requires reducing the intensity of radiative forcing in order to reduce global warming. Mitigation is distinguished from adaptation, which involves acting to minimize the effects of global warming. Most often, mitigations involve reductions in the concentrations of greenhouse gases, either by reducing their sources or by increasing their sinks. (See Wikipedia article on Mitigation of global warming, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitigation_of_global_warming.)
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI, or ReGGIe) is a regional initiative by states and provinces in the Northeastern United States region to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The RGGI is designing a cap and trade program for greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Ten states currently participate in the initiative. Pennsylvania, which is a major coal producer and manufacturing state, only participates as an observer. (See Wikipedia article on Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Greenhouse_Gas_Initiative.)
The Climate Registry
The Climate Registry is a nonprofit collaboration between North American states, provinces, territories, and Native Soverign Nations to record and track the greenhouse gas emissions of businesses, municipalities and other organisations. The Climate Registry’s Board of Directors is made up of 39 states of the USA, 13 provinces/territories of Canada, six states of Mexico, and three Native Soverign Nations. The data is to be independently verified to ensure accuracy, however participation by organizations is voluntary. Data submitted to the Climate Registry is inputted into the Climate Registry Information System (CRIS), which was developed on EPA’s CRAVe-EATS platform. (See Wikipedia article on Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climate_Registry.)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC) is an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992. The objective of the treaty is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. The treaty itself sets no mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual countries and contains no enforcement mechanisms. In that sense, the treaty is considered legally non-binding. Instead, the treaty provides for updates (called “protocols”) that would set mandatory emission limits. The principal update is the Kyoto Protocol, which has become much better known than the UNFCCC itself. (See Wikipedia article on United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Framework_Convention_on_Climate_Change.)
validation
Systematic, independent and documented process for the evaluation of a greenhouse gas assertion in
a GHG project plan against agreed validation criteria. NOTE 1: In some cases, such as in first-party validations, independence can be demonstrated by the freedom from responsibility for the development of GHG data and information. NOTE 2: The content of a GHG project plan is described in ISO 14064-2:2006, 5.2.(ISO 14064-3:2006, Greenhouse gases—Specification with guidance for the validation and verification of greenhouse gas assertions, 2.32).
verification
Systematic, independent and documented process for the evaluation of a greenhouse gas assertion
against agreed verification criteria. NOTE In some cases, such as in first-party verifications, independence can be demonstrated by the freedom from responsibility for the development of GHG data and information. (ISO 14064-3:2006, Greenhouse gases—Specification with guidance for the validation and verification of greenhouse gas assertions, 2.33).
Voluntary Carbon Standard
The Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) is a quality standard for voluntary carbon offset industry. Based on the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism, VCS establishes criteria for validating, measuring, and monitoring carbon offset projects. (See Wikipedia article on Voluntary Carbon Standard, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntary_Carbon_Standard
Western Climate Initiative
The Western Climate Initiative or WCI is an initiative—started by states and provinces along the western rim of North America—to combat climate change caused by global warming, independent of their national governments. The stated purpose of the WCI is to identify, evaluate and implement ways to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region. The initiative requires partners to set an overall regional goal to reduce emissions, develop a market-based, multi-sector mechanism to help achieve that goal, and participate in a cross-border greenhouse gas registry. (See Wikipedia article on Western Climate Initiative, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Climate_Initiative.)
World Business Council on Sustainable Development
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a CEO-led, global association of some 200 international companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development. Its origins date back to the 1992 Rio Summit, when Stephan Schmidheiny, a Swiss business entrepreneur, was appointed chief adviser for business and industry to the secretary general of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), better known as the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit of 1992. He created a forum called “Business Council for Sustainable Development”, which went on to Changing Course, a book that coined the concept of Eco-efficiency. The WBCSD was created in 1995 in a merger of the Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Industry Council for the Environment and is based in Geneva, Switzerland with offices in Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium. (See Wikipedia article on World Business Council for Sustainable Development, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Business_Council_for_Sustainable_Development.)
World Resources Institute
The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank founded in 1982 based in Washington, D.C. in the United States. WRI is an independent, non-partisan and nonprofit organization with a staff of more than 100 scientists, economists, policy experts, business analysts, statistical analysts, mapmakers, and communicators developing and promoting policies with the intention of protecting the Earth and improving people’s lives. (See Wikipedia article on World Resources Institute, accessed on 2009-11-10 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Resources_Institute.)