1. Greenhouse Gases
1.1. Definition: atmospheric gases that create the greenhouse effect by absorbing and holding the heat in Earth's atmosphere
1.1.1. Example: water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane
2. Carbon Cycle
2.1. Definition: the natural cycle through which carbon moves in the environment
2.1.1. Example: atmosphere, lithosphere, photosynthesis
3. Carbon Sink
3.1. Definition: natural features (forest) that remove carbon from the atmosphere for a period ranging from a few minutes to a few centuries
3.1.1. Example: forest, soil and ocean
4. Carbon Source
4.1. Definition: any activity, natural or human that adds carbon to the atmosphere
4.1.1. Example: carbon dioxide and methane
5. Fixed Carbon
5.1. Definition: Carbon that has been removed from the atmosphere for a very long time
5.1.1. Example: limestone, coal
6. Kyoto Protocol
6.1. Definition: An international agreement, signed in 1997 intended to begin the fight against climate change by limiting GhG emissions from industrialized countries
6.1.1. Example: global warming and man-made CO2
7. Energy Intensity
7.1. Definition: the bias of proposal by APEC nations to have emissions targets related to the amount of energy being used, rather than to have absolute emission reduction targets
7.1.1. Examples: reductions per tonne of oil equivalent used, tonnes of carbon emitted
8. Cap and Trade System
8.1. Definition: A proposal method to reduce GhG emission, companies, utilities and other GhG producers would be assigned an emission limit
8.1.1. Example: if they reduce emission below this limit they could sell their surplus quota in a free market, if exceeded they will have to buy additional quota
9. Carbon tax
9.1. Definition: A proposal method for reducing GhG emission. All products and services that are sold would have tax added based on the emissions that were generated to provide that product or service
9.1.1. Examples: greenhouse gases
10. Geo-engineering
10.1. Definition: A range of proposal that have been made to reduce GhG emission into the atmosphere by using various technological methods to capture or eliminate the gases before their release into the atmosphere
10.1.1. Example: carbon sequestration would pump carbon dioxide into sealed rock layers in the earth
11. Climate Change
11.1. Definition: the scientific theory that the Earth's climate is being altered by human activities. Any change in global climates, whether caused by natural fluctuations or human activities.
11.1.1. Example: greenhouse gases
12. Tipping Point
12.1. Definition: A threshold beyond which a situation dramatically changes
12.1.1. Example: when support a fight climate change became the dominant belief
13. Greenhouse Effect
13.1. Definition: the warming atmosphere as some of it's gases by absorb heat given off by Earth's surface
13.1.1. Example: Earth's temperature at a level about 14 degrees celsius