Join Implementation (JI)

A mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol through which a developed country can receive 'emissions reduction units' when it helps to finance projects that reduce net greenhouse-gas emissions in another developed country (in practice, the recipient state is likely to be a country with an 'economy in transition'). An Annex I Party must meet specific eligibility requirements to participate in joint implementation

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) The collection and transport of concentrated carbon dioxide gas from large emission sources, such as power plants. The gases are then injected into deep underground reservoirs. Carbon capture is sometimes referred to as geological sequestration.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCCC)

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Greening Investment Scheme (GIS)

A Green Investment Scheme refers to a plan for achieving environmental benefits from trading ‘hot air’ under the Kyoto Protocol, designed to achieve greater flexibility in reaching the targets of the Kyoto Protocol while preserving environmental integrity of IET.

Reference: Wikipedia

Designated Operational Entities (DOE)

a domestic legal entity or an international organization accredited and designated, on a provisional basis until confirmed by the CMP, by the Executive Board (EB)

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Greenhouse gases (GHG)

The atmospheric gases responsible for causing global warming and climate change.

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

A mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol through which developed countries may finance greenhouse-gas emission reduction or removal projects in developing countries, and receive credits for doing so which they may apply towards meeting mandatory limits on their own emissions.

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Certified Emission Reduction (CER)

A Kyoto Protocol unit equal to 1 metric tonne of CO2 equivalent.  CERs are issued for emission reductions from CDM project activities.

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Long-term CER (l-CER)

Long-term CER' or 'lCER' is a CER issued for an afforestation or reforestation project activity under the CDM which, subject to the provisions in section K below, expires at the end of the crediting period of the afforestation or reforestation project activity under the CDM for which it was issued (5/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 1(h)

Reference: cdm rulebook

Temporary CER (tCER)

Temporary CER' or 'tCER' is a CER issued to project participants in an afforestation or reforestation project activity under the CDM which, subject to the provisions of section K below, expires at the end of the commitment period following the one in which they are issued (5/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 1(g))

Reference: cdm rulebook

Verified Emission Reduction (VER)

Emission reductions created by projects which have been verified outside of the Kyoto Protocol – including credits from pre-registration CDM projects; 1 VER corresponds to 1 tonne of CO2e emission reductions.

Reference: EcoSecurities

International Transaction Log (ITL)

The ITL verifies transactions proposed by registries to ensure they are consistent with rules agreed under the Kyoto Protocol. Each registry sends transaction proposals to the ITL, which checks each proposal and returns to the registry its approval or rejection

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Community International Transaction Log (CITL)

The international transaction log (ITL) was established by the UNFCCC Secretariat to verify the validity of transactions of Kyoto units:

Reference: cdm rulebook

Assigned Allowance Unit (AAU)

A Kyoto Protocol unit equal to 1 metric tonne of CO2 equivalent.  Each Annex I Party issues AAUs up to the level of its assigned amount, established pursuant to Article 3, paragraphs 7 and 8, of the Kyoto Protocol. Assigned amount units may be exchanged through emissions trading

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Removal Units (RMU)

A Kyoto Protocol unit equal to 1 metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent. RMUs are generated in Annex I Parties by LULUCF activities that absorb carbon dioxide

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

A scheme set up to allow the trading of emissions permits between business and/or countries as part of a cap and trade approach to limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The best-developed example is the EU's trading scheme, launched in 2005. See Cap and trade.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

European Union Allowance (EUA)

EU Allowances are Climate credits (or Carbon credits) used in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). EU Allowances are issued by the EU Member States into Member State Registry accounts. By April 30 of each year, operators of installations covered by the EU ETS must surrender an EU Allowance for each ton of CO2 emitted in the previous year

Reference: Wikipedia

Emission Reduction Unit (ERU)

A Kyoto Protocol unit equal to 1 metric tonne of CO2 equivalent.  ERUs are generated for emission reductions or emission removals from joint implementation project.

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Additionality (AD)

A CDM project activity is additional if anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases by sources are reduced below those that would have occurred in the absence of the registered CDM project activity (3/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 43)

Reference: cdm rulebook

Designated National Authority (DNA)

An office, ministry, or other official entity appointed by a Party to the Kyoto Protocol to review and give national approval to projects proposed under the Clean Development Mechanism

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Baseline (BL)

The year against which countries measure their target decrease of emissions. The Kyoto Protocol uses a baseline year of 1990. Some countries prefer to use later baselines. Climate change legislation in the United States, for example, uses a 2005 baseline.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

EU Bubble (EUB)

Term used to describe the arrangement, provided for in Article 4 of the Kyoto Protocol, whereby Annex I Parties can fulfil their emission targets jointly by pooling their individual emissions in a common 'bubble.' The EU has used this provision and, through a burden sharing agreement, sub-divided its target of -8% into differentiated targets for each Member State that take account of their different national circumstances.

Reference: EC Europe

Kyoto Protocol (KP)

An international agreement standing on its own, and requiring separate ratification by governments, but linked to the UNFCCC. The Kyoto Protocol, among other things, sets binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions by industrialized countries.

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Climatic Change (CC)

A pattern of change affecting global or regional climate, as measured by yardsticks such as average temperature and rainfall, or an alteration in frequency of extreme weather conditions. This variation may be caused by both natural processes and human activity. Global warming is one aspect of climate change.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

CDM Certification (C)

The certification report shall constitute a request for issuance to the Executive Board of CERs equal to the verified amount of reductions of anthropogenic emissions by sources of greenhouse gases (3/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 64

Reference: cdm rulebook

Emissions trading (ET)

One of the three Kyoto mechanisms, by which an Annex I Party may transfer Kyoto Protocol units to or acquire units from another Annex I Party.  An Annex I Party must meet specific eligibility requirements to participate in emissions trading

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Business-as-usual scenario (BUS)

A scenario used for projections of future emissions assuming no action, or no new action, is taken to mitigate the problem. Some countries are pledging not to reduce their emissions but to make reductions compared to a business as usual scenario. Their emissions, therefore, would increase but less than they would have done.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

Kyoto Protocol Annex I (AI)

The industrialized countries listed in this annex to the Convention which were committed return their greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000 as per Article 4.2 (a) and (b). They have also accepted emissions targets for the period 2008-12 as per Article 3 and Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol. They include the 24 original OECD members, the European Union, and 14 countries with economies in transition. (Croatia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Slovenia joined Annex 1 at COP-3, and the Czech Republic and Slovakia replaced Czechoslovakia.)

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Kyoto Protocol Annex II (AII)

The countries listed in Annex II to the Convention which have a special obligation to provide financial resources and facilitate technology transfer to developing countries. Annex II Parties include the 24 original OECD members plus the European Union.

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Cap and Trade (CT)

An emission trading scheme whereby businesses or countries can buy or sell allowances to emit greenhouse gases via an exchange. The volume of allowances issued adds up to the limit, or cap, imposed by the authorities.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

Carbon Neutral (CN)

A process where there is no net release of CO2. For example, growing biomass takes CO2 out of the atmosphere, while burning it releases the gas again. The process would be carbon neutral if the amount taken out and the amount released were identical. A company or country can also achieve carbon neutrality by means of carbon offsetting.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

Carbon Offsetting (CO)

A way of compensating for emissions of CO2 by participating in, or funding, efforts to take CO2 out of the atmosphere. Offsetting often involves paying another party, somewhere else, to save emissions equivalent to those produced by your activity.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

Copenhagen Conference (COP15)

The official title of the Copenhagen conference, which takes place from 7-18 December 2009. Alternatively, it can be called the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

Flexible Mechanisms (FM)

Instruments that help countries and companies meet emission reduction targets by paying others to reduce emissions for them. The mechanism in widest use is emissions trading, where companies or countries buy and sell permits to pollute. The Kyoto Protocol establishes two flexible mechanisms enabling rich countries to fund emission reduction projects in developing countries - Joint Implementation (JI) and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change (IPPC)

Established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the UN Environment Programme, the IPCC surveys world-wide scientific and technical literature and publishes assessment reports that are widely recognized as the most credible existing sources of information on climate change. The IPCC also works on methodologies and responds to specific requests from the Convention's subsidiary bodies. The IPCC is independent of the Convention.

Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Cha

Kyoto Protocol Non-annex I (NAI)

The group of developing countries that have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol. They do not have binding emission reduction targets.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest D (REDD)

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, a concept that would provide developing countries with a financial incentive to preserve forests. The Copenhagen conference is expected to finalise an international finance mechanism for the post-2012 global climate change framework.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate (UNFCCC)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is one of a series of international agreements on global environmental issues adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The UNFCCC aims to prevent 'dangerous' human interference with the climate system. It entered into force on 21 March 1994 and has been ratified by 192 countries.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

Carbon Footprint (CF)

The amount of carbon emitted by an individual or organisation in a given period of time, or the amount of carbon emitted during the manufacture of a product.

Reference: BBC Climate Change Glossary

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