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Carbon credit

A carbon credit or offset permits the holder to emit a specified amount of greenhouse gas emissions. In cap and trade systems, carbon credits/offsets can be traded. 

Activity data

Activity data measures activity, for example, buying fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gas emissions. It is defined for a specific period, represented in units appropriate for the activity (e.g., tonnes of waste sent to landfills or kilowatt hours of energy consumed).

Biochar

Biochar is produced by heating agricultural waste (biomass) to remove carbon dioxide. It is turned into a substance that looks like charcoal and is used as fertiliser for the soil.

Carbon markets

Carbon markets are trading systems for buying and selling carbon credits.

Carbon neutral

An entity is carbon neutral if it neither adds nor removes carbon emissions from the environment. 

Carbon sink

Carbon sink refers to the storage where the carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere is stored. 

Cap and trade

Cap and trade is a market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Governments set limits (or a cap) on how much emissions a company can produce. Companies can also trade their allowances with each other if they produce less emissions than their cap or want to exceed the limit. 

Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)

Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) is the amount of greenhouse gas equal to the amount of carbon dioxide it would take to warm the planet. It helps measure the impact of different greenhouse gases in a singular unit. For instance, 1 kg of methane is 29.8 CO2e. 

Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

The CDP is a framework for organisations, cities, and countries to report their emissions and overall environmental impact.

Carbon negative

An entity or activity is carbon-negative if its net result removes greenhouse gases from the environment. It is the next step to prevent climate change after net zero emissions. 

Carbon footprint

Carbon footprint represents all the greenhouse gas emissions by an entity or activity. 

Carbon sequestration

Carbon sequestration refers to storing carbon dioxide in a place where it will not impact the environment and climate. 

Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life (animals, plants, and microorganisms) found on Earth.

Base year

The base year is the year that is used to set the net zero emissions goals. The annual reduction targets are set based on the emissions produced during the base year. For instance, 1990 is the base year for the Kyoto Protocol.

Carbon removal

Carbon removal is the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it so that it cannot be emitted back into the atmosphere. 

Carbon reduction

Carbon reduction refers to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Various activities and policies aim to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, for example, switching to renewable energy or recycling plastics. 

Carbon target

A carbon target is a specified amount of emissions to be reduced by the end of a specified period. 

Accuracy gap

The accuracy gap is the difference between calculated emissions and those produced. Accurate carbon accounting efforts can lead to a minimal or zero accuracy gap in emissions reporting. 

2 °C

2 °C is the temperature rise over pre-industrial level temperatures that is the threshold for avoiding climate catastrophes and irreversible damage to the planet.

1.5 °C

As the Paris Agreement outlines, 1.5 °C is the ideal and agreed-upon threshold of global temperature rise by 2050 compared to pre-industrial levels. The world must reach net zero emissions by 2050 to achieve this goal.

Carbon credit

A carbon credit or offset permits the holder to emit a specified amount of greenhouse gas emissions. In cap and trade systems, carbon credits/offsets can be traded. 

C

Activity data

Activity data measures activity, for example, buying fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gas emissions. It is defined for a specific period, represented in units appropriate for the activity (e.g., tonnes of waste sent to landfills or kilowatt hours of energy consumed).

A

Biochar

Biochar is produced by heating agricultural waste (biomass) to remove carbon dioxide. It is turned into a substance that looks like charcoal and is used as fertiliser for the soil.

B

Carbon markets

Carbon markets are trading systems for buying and selling carbon credits.

C

Carbon neutral

An entity is carbon neutral if it neither adds nor removes carbon emissions from the environment. 

C

Carbon sink

Carbon sink refers to the storage where the carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere is stored. 

C

Cap and trade

Cap and trade is a market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Governments set limits (or a cap) on how much emissions a company can produce. Companies can also trade their allowances with each other if they produce less emissions than their cap or want to exceed the limit. 

C

Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)

Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) is the amount of greenhouse gas equal to the amount of carbon dioxide it would take to warm the planet. It helps measure the impact of different greenhouse gases in a singular unit. For instance, 1 kg of methane is 29.8 CO2e. 

C

Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

The CDP is a framework for organisations, cities, and countries to report their emissions and overall environmental impact.

C

Carbon negative

An entity or activity is carbon-negative if its net result removes greenhouse gases from the environment. It is the next step to prevent climate change after net zero emissions. 

C

Carbon footprint

Carbon footprint represents all the greenhouse gas emissions by an entity or activity. 

C

Carbon sequestration

Carbon sequestration refers to storing carbon dioxide in a place where it will not impact the environment and climate. 

C

Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life (animals, plants, and microorganisms) found on Earth.

B

Base year

The base year is the year that is used to set the net zero emissions goals. The annual reduction targets are set based on the emissions produced during the base year. For instance, 1990 is the base year for the Kyoto Protocol.

B

Carbon removal

Carbon removal is the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it so that it cannot be emitted back into the atmosphere. 

C

Carbon reduction

Carbon reduction refers to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Various activities and policies aim to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, for example, switching to renewable energy or recycling plastics. 

C

Carbon target

A carbon target is a specified amount of emissions to be reduced by the end of a specified period. 

C

Accuracy gap

The accuracy gap is the difference between calculated emissions and those produced. Accurate carbon accounting efforts can lead to a minimal or zero accuracy gap in emissions reporting. 

A

2 °C

2 °C is the temperature rise over pre-industrial level temperatures that is the threshold for avoiding climate catastrophes and irreversible damage to the planet.

Numbers

1.5 °C

As the Paris Agreement outlines, 1.5 °C is the ideal and agreed-upon threshold of global temperature rise by 2050 compared to pre-industrial levels. The world must reach net zero emissions by 2050 to achieve this goal.

Numbers