Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 

A colourless, odourless gas, and a natural constituent of air, formed by natural processes and by the combustion of fuels containing carbon. CO2 is a greenhouse gas.

Carbon Taxes

A surcharge or levy on the carbon content of oil, coal, and/or gas to discourage the use of fossil fuels, with the aim of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

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 over comparable time periods.

Conference of Parties (COP)

The COP is the overall managing body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The COP which consists of more than 170 nations that ratified or acceded to the Framework Convention on Climate Change is responsible for promoting and reviewing the implementation of the Convention.

Deforestation

Removing of forested areas through cutting or burning to provide agricultural land, residential or industrial building sites, roads etc. or harvesting trees for building or fuel.

Developed Countries

Industrialised countries

Developing Countries

Countries in the process of industrialisation and have less access to resources for addressing economic and environmental problems.

Emissions

The direct or indirect release of polluting substances from individual or diffuse sources to air, water or land.

Emissions Trading 

A market mechanism that allows emitters (countries, companies or facilities) to buy emissions from or sell emissions to other emitters.

 Fossil Fuels

Carbon-based fuels that include coal, petroleum, natural gas and oil.

Global Warming

The continuous gradual rise of the earth's surface temperature caused by the greenhouse effect and responsible for changes in global climate patterns.

Greenhouse Effect

The impact of human activities cause certain gases to be released and trapped in to the Earths atmosphere. The gases absorb the suns energy and cause the earth to warm at a faster rate than usual.

Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases are those air emissions that contribute to global warming including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and other gases generated during industrial processes. These gases are measured in terms of their global warming potential and are reported in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-e) or million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (MMTCDE).

Kyoto Protocol 

The Kyoto Protocol is the international agreement on tackling climate change, drawn up in Japan in 1997. It was an elaboration of the UNFCCC, the UN's Framework Convention on Climate Change, which dates back to the 1992 Earth Summit in Brazil.

Pollution 

The direct or indirect introduction, as a result of human activity, of substances or heat into the air, water or land which: (i) may be harmful to human health or the quality of aquatic ecosystems or terrestrial ecosystems directly depending on aquatic ecosystems; (ii) result in damage to material property; or (iii) impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment.