Definition of Terms
- Biome:
- A biome is a large area that is characterized by specific vegetation, climate and wildlife. Examples of terrestrial biomes are forests or grasslands. Lakes or rivers are examples of freshwater biomes, and coral reefs or estuaries are examples of marine biomes.
- Carbon footprint:
- A carbon footprint of a household (alternately called household CO2 emissions) is defined as GHG emissions (expressed as CO2 equivalent (see definition below)) directly emitted and indirectly induced due to household consumption.
- Carbon pricing:
- Carbon pricing refers to setting an economic price on emitting or storing a quantity of CO2 or other greenhouse gases. It is typically measured in USD/tonne CO2eq (or other currency). This refers to US dollars per 1 tonne of a CO2 equivalent (see definition below).
- Climate refugia:
- Areas with natural buffers from the effects of a changing climate relative to their surroundings.
- Consumption corridors:
- Consumption corridors are a concept used to define the space between the minimally (fulfilling basic needs) and maximally (carbon budget and other factors) acceptable consumption, relative to the 1.5°C target, within which individuals may choose their lifestyle.
- CO2 equivalent (CO2eq):
- A CO2 equivalent is used to compare the radiative forcing (see definition below) of different greenhouse gases. It is calculated from the global warming potential (GWP), which is the heat absorbed by a greenhouse gas equivalent to a multiple of the heat absorbed by the same mass of CO2. The CO2eq refers to the amount of CO2 that warms the Earth as much as a certain amount of a greenhouse gas (GWP times the amount of gas) over a given time period. CO2 has a GWP of 1.
- Fire regime:
- A fire regime is the pattern, frequency and intensity of the bushfires and wildfires that prevail in an area over long periods of time.
- Global carbon budget:
- The (remaining) global carbon budget sets the limit on cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to not exceed a given global temperature increase with a specific probability. From 2020 onwards the global carbon budget is currently estimated to be only 460 GtCO2 to achieve the 1.5°C target.
- GtCO2:
- Gigatonnes (Gt) is a unit of mass. One gigatonne of CO2 corresponds to one billion tonnes of CO2 (equal to about 200 million elephants).
- NDCs:
- National Determined Contributions. Citing the UNFCCC website: “Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of these long-term goals. NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.”
- Radiative forcing:
- The immediate effect of a GHG, other pollutant or other factor on the radiation balance of Earth is called radiative forcing. It could be warming, such as the absorption of heat radiation by methane, or cooling, as with aerosols that influence the formation of clouds.
- SDGs:
- The 17 Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by the United Nations member states in 2015, intend to provide a “blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future”.
- The 1.5°C target:
- The Paris Agreement of 2015 set the limit for long-term global warming above pre-industrial levels to well below 2°C, aiming at 1.5°C.
- Tipping element:
- Tipping elements are components of the climate system that face the risk of undergoing dramatic and non-linear transitions at varying timescales, often without a chance to turn back to normal for a long time.
- Value of a statistical life:
- The value of a statistical life (VSL) is the local trade off rate (in monetary terms) between fatality risk and money. VSL serves as both a measure of the population’s willingness to pay for risk reduction and the marginal cost of enhancing safety. It’s noteworthy that estimates of VSL vary greatly across countries and that it is commonly used by transport planners.
