Glossary of climate change

A Glossary of Climate Change is a collection of terms and definitions related to climate change, global warming, and the broader context of environmental science. This glossary serves as a resource to better understand the scientific, political, and economic aspects of climate change.

A

• Adaptation – Adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities.
• Albedo – The fraction of solar radiation that is reflected off the surface of an object, often used in the context of the Earth's surface reflection.

B

• Biofuel – Fuels produced directly or indirectly from organic material – biomass – including plant materials and animal waste.

C

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – A naturally occurring greenhouse gas (GHG), and the most prevalent greenhouse gas produced by human activities, primarily through the combustion of fossil fuels.
• Climate – The average weather conditions in a particular location over a long period, typically measured over 30 years.
• Climate Model – A quantitative way of representing the interactions of the atmospheric, oceanic, land surface, and ice components of the climate system, used for understanding past changes and predicting future changes.

D

• Deforestation – The permanent removal of standing forests.

E

• Emissions – The release of pollutants into the air, with a significant focus on gases that contribute to global warming, such as carbon dioxide and methane.

F

• Fossil Fuels – Natural fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, derived from the biological remains of ancient organisms.

G

• Global Warming – The increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to rising levels of greenhouse gases.
• Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) – Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases.

H

• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – Synthetic, potent greenhouse gases used as replacements for ozone-depleting substances in applications such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and fire extinguishers.

I

• IPCC – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a scientific body under the auspices of the United Nations, responsible for reviewing and assessing the most recent scientific, technical, and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change.

M

• Mitigation – A human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.

R

• Renewable Energy – Energy from sources that are not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.

S

• Sea Level Rise – An increase in the level of the world's oceans due to the effects of global warming.
• Sustainability – Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

T

• Tipping Point – A point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change.

V

• Vulnerability – The degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change.