Carbon currency – the credits and debits of carbon emissions trading
Glossary
afforestation. Establishing trees on previously unforested land.
anthropogenic. Caused or induced by humans; of human origin.
Conference of the Parties (COP). Comprises all countries that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. COP is responsible for implementing the objectives of the Convention and has been meeting regularly since 1995. More information on outcomes from Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings is available at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
enhanced greenhouse effect. An increase in the natural process of the greenhouse effect, brought about by human activities, whereby greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons and nitrous oxide are being released into the atmosphere at a far greater rate than would occur through natural processes and thus their concentrations are increasing. Also called anthropogenic greenhouse effect or climate change.
geosequestration. Involves the capture and long-term underground storage of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide produced by coal-fired electricity stations and other industrial sources is compressed to form a liquid and injected into deep underground geological formations Possible storage sites include saline aquifers, coal seams, and used oil and gas reservoirs. For more information about geosequestration see What is geosequestration? (CO2 Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies).
greenhouse effect. The trapping and build-up of heat in the lower atmosphere near a planet's surface. Some of the heat flowing back towards space from the Earth's surface is absorbed by water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and other gases in the atmosphere. If the atmospheric concentration of these gases rises, then theory predicts that the average temperature of the lower atmosphere will gradually increase. The greenhouse effect in part explains the temperature differences of Mars, Venus and Earth.
green paper. Government report of proposed policy for discussion.
Kyoto Protocol. The third session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change took place in Kyoto, Japan in December 1997, resulting in the Kyoto Protocol. This working agreement of the signatories commits developed countries to reduce their collective emissions of six greenhouse gases by at least 5 per cent of 1990 levels by 2012. The Kyoto agreement became legally binding on 16 February 2005 when 132 signatory countries agreed to strive to decrease carbon dioxide emissions. More information can be found at the official The Kyoto Protocol site.
photosynthesis. The biochemical process in which green plants (and some microorganisms) use energy from light to synthesise carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis can be shown as:
CO2 + H2O + energy→ [CH2O] + O2
plankton. Free-floating, mostly microscopic, aquatic organisms. Plankton can be divided into phytoplankton (plants) and zooplankton (animals). For more information see What is plankton? (Australian Museum Online).
respiration. Cellular respiration is the process by which organisms release energy from complex organic molecules, typically sugars. All living things, including plants, respire. Most use oxygen (aerobic respiration) and release carbon dioxide. The balanced chemical equation for aerobic respiration is
C6H12O6 + 12O2→ 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy (ATP)
In the absence of oxygen anaerobic respiration occurs, producing lactic acid or ethanol.
sources and sinks. A source is the place or compartment from which a substance comes while a sink is the place or process that takes the substance out of circulation. For example, young growing forests are a carbon sink, while the burning of fossil fuels is a carbon source.
Page updated August 2005.