Glossary

Absorption . Addition of a substance to a deposit or reservoir. When the absorption contains carbon, particularly carbon dioxide, it is called carbon sequestration or capture.

Acclimatization . Physiological adaptation of organisms to environmental or experimental conditions.

Adaptability . (See Adaptive Capacity)

Adaptation . Natural adjustment or through human response to the current or expected climate change and its effects, which reduces the damage and takes advantage of opportunities. There are several types of adaptation: anticipated and reactive; private and public; and autonomous and planned.

Adaptation Benefits. Avoid damage costs or the accumulation of benefits followed by the adoption and the implementation of adaptation measures.

Adaptation Evaluation. Identification of options to adjust to climate change and assess the availability, benefits, costs, effectiveness, efficiency and viability.

Adaptive Capacity. The ability of a system to adjust to climate changes by weighing potential hazards, taking advantage of opportunities or by facing consequences.

Adaptation Cost. The cost of planning, preparing, facilitating and implementing adaptation measures, including trading costs.

Afforestation. Plant new trees in land where no forest plants have ever existed.

Alternative development paths. It refers to different potential scenarios for social consumption values and production patterns in all countries, and continuing with the current trends, among others.

Albedo. Relation between the luminous energy that diffuse a surface area through reflection and the incident energy.

Annex I Countries. Group of countries included in Annex I (as established in 1998) in the United Nations Framework Covenant on Climate Change, including all developed countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Transition Economies. Articles 4.2(a) and 4.2(b) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change state that Annex I countries specifically commit themselves to individually or jointly reduce greenhouse gases to the level recorded in 1990. They are also called industrialized countries.

Annex II Countries. Group of countries included in Annex II of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including all developed countries in the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development, as stated in Article 4.2 (g) of the Convention. These countries are expected to provide financial resources to assist developing countries to meet their obligations, such as preparing the respective domestic communications program. Annex II Countries are also expected to encourage the transfer of technologies to developing countries.

Annex B Countries. Group of countries included in Annex B in the Kyoto Protocol that have agreed to face their greenhouse gas emissions, including all Annex I countries (as established in 1998) without including Turkey and Bielorusia.

Anticipated Adaptation. Adjustment that takes place before the climate change impact is observed.

Anthropogenic Emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions, precursors of greenhouse gases and aerosols associated with human activities. This includes the burning of fossil fuels to obtain energy, the deforestation and the use of soil.

Autotrophic Breathing. Breathing by photosynthetic organisms (plants)

Autonomous Adaptation. Adjustment that do not constitute a conscious response to the climate stimulus, but it is triggered by ecologic changes in natural systems and by the well-being in human systems. It is also known as spontaneous adaptation.

Anthropogenic. Resulted from or produced by human beings.

Atmosphere. Air layer surrounding the Earth; mainly consisting in nitrogen (78.1%) and oxygen (20.9%) in addition to other gases such as argon, helium and water vapor; in turn they are combined with greenhouse gases such carbon dioxide and ozone. The atmosphere also contains clouds and aerosols.

Base Line. A intervened scenario used as analysis base for intervened scenarios.

Base or Reference. The base or referent is any data used to measure climate changes. If it is a “current base”, it represents daily conditions observed. It could also be a “future base”, i.e., a set of conditions projected in the future.

Bio-fuel. Fuel produced from dry organic matter or naturally produced by plants, e.g., alcohol (through sugar fermentation), black liquor from paper, wood or soy oil manufacturing.

Biodiversity. The relative number and abundance of different genes, species or ecosystems in a particular area.

Biological Options. Biological options for the mitigation of climate change include one or more of the strategies: conservation, sequestration and substitution.

Bioma. Similar communities of certain types of plants or animals.

Biomass. Total matter of the beings living in a particular place, expressed in weight by surface or volume unit.

Biosfere. The part of the Earth and the atmosphere capable to sustain living organisms.

Biota. All living organisms in an area; the flora and fauna considered as a unit.

Breathing. Absorb air, through the lungs, branchia, trachea etc., taking part of the substances that make it up, and expel it modified.

Calculation of Climate Impact. Practice to identify and evaluate the damages and positive consequences of climate change in human and natural systems.

Carbon Credits: See Carbon Bonds

Carbon dioxide. Gas naturally produced by animals while breathing and during. biomass decomposition. It is used by plants in the photosynthesis process. It is one of the most important gases causing greenhouse effect.

Carbon Capture: See Absorption.

Carbon Cycle. Term used to describe the carbon flow (in its different forms) through the atmospheric, ocean and terrestrial biosphere and the lithosphere.

Carbon Credits. They are a commodity consisting in 1 ton CO2 (carbon dioxide) equivalent. “Equivalent” is used for other five greenhouse gases different from CO2. Conversion coefficients are used according to the gas capacity to generate greenhouse effects as compared to CO2 (from gas volume to volume of CO2 equivalent). This commodity may be traded in markets under the Kyoto protocol or in voluntary markets, such as CCX.

Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX). is the first greenhouse gas emission record in North America and the first in the world that trades six greenhouse gases defined in the Kyoto Protocol. CCX is an exchange regulated by itself, and has been designed and governed by its members. The members – private companies – make a voluntary reduction commitment, which is monitored by the commission. At the end of phase I (December 2006) all members must have reduced direct emissions by up to 4%, under the 1998 – 2001 base line period. For phase II ( that extends the reduction program to 2010), all members must reduce their emissions by 6% under the base line.

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). Greenhouse gases included in the Montreal Protocol of 1987. They are used in cooling, air conditioning, packing, isolation, as solvents or aerosols. Since they are not destroyed at the lower atmospheric layer, CFCs reach the upper part of the atmosphere, based on certain conditions, and destroy the ozone layer. These gases are replaced by other compounds including hydrocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons, which are greenhouse gases included in the Kyoto Protocol.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). As defined in article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol, the Clean Development Mechanism has two objectives: (1) assist non-Annex I countries to achieve sustainable development (2) assist Annex I countries in achieving compliance of their emission reduction commitment.

Clime. Set of atmospheric conditions characteristic of a region.

Climate Change. It refers to any long-term climate change, either by natural causes or as a result of human activities.


Climate Forecast. Results from attempting to provide a description or estimate regarding the climate evolution in the future.

Climate Impact. Consequences of climate changes in natural or human systems. Depending on the adaptation consideration, it is possible to distinguish between potential and residual impact.

Climate Model (Hierarchic). Numeric representation of the climate system based in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of its components, its interaction and reactive processes and the record of all or some of its properties. The climate system may be represented by models of variable complexity.

Climate Scenario. A possible and normally simplified climate representation in the future, based on a consistent set of climate relations built for the exclusive purpose of inquiring the potential consequences of the Anthropogenic climate change, almost always for the creation of impact model.

Climate System. Highly complex system made up of five primary components (atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, the earth surface and the biosphere) and their interaction.

Climate Variation. A fluctuation of climate or its components indicates the natural variations typically occurring from one year to another or changes from one decade to another.

Construction Capacity. In terms of climate change, construction capacity is a process where technical abilities and institutional capacities are generated for the development of transition countries and economies so that they can take part in all adaptation, mitigation and climate change aspects in addition to the implementation of the Kyoto Mechanisms.

Co-benefits. Benefits of the policies that are implemented at the same time – including climate change mitigation. The term co-impact is also used in a more generic sense to cover the positive and negative aspects of the benefits.

Co-generation. Use of the exceeding heat or vapor in a productive process to generate electricity.

Cost-benefit. Criteria used to establish when a technology or measure delivers a good or service at a cost equal to or lower than the practice currently used to produce it.

CO2 Equivalent. The carbon dioxide concentration causing the same amount of radiation strength as the combination of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Deforestation. Remove forest plants from a land.

Desertification. Transform large extensions of fertile land into a desert.

Ecosystem. Plant, animal or microorganism communities and their environment interacting as a functional unit.

Ecosystem Services. Ecologic processes or functions that have a value for individuals or the society.

Emission Limit. The portion or Exchange of the total emissions permitted and assigned to a country or group of countries within the total maximum emissions and locations mandatory to resources.

Emissions. In terms of climate change, emissions refer to the liberation of greenhouse gases, its precursors and aerosols to the atmosphere in a specific area for a given period of time.

Emission Factor. The emission factor is the coefficient that relates the current emissions to the activity report as a standard measurement of emissions by activity unit.

Emission Permit. Non-transferable or exchangeable titles granted by the government to individual companies, that allows them to emit a specific amount of a substance.

Emissions Scenario. A possible representation of the future development of greenhouse gas emissions (gases and aerosols) based on a coherent and consistent set of key forces and relations.

Energetic Balance. The climate energetic accumulation must be balanced. All the energy of the climate system comes from the Sun, therefore, the balance implies that the incoming radiation average must be equal to the sum of the reflected outgoing radiation.

Energetic Intensity. Energetic intensity is the energy consumption – economic or physical use rate. At domestic level, energetic intensity is the total domestic energy consumption rate or the final energy consumption – physical use rate.

Energy Transformation. Change from a form of energy, such as the energy of fossil fuels to other forms such as electricity.

Endemic. Restricted or peculiar to a place or region. With regard to human health, endemic may refer to a disease or agent present or usually prevailing in a population or geographical area all the time.

End-use Energy. Energy available to consumers to be converted into usable energy.

Energetic Efficiency. Ratio of energy outflow to a conversion process or from a system to its energy inflow.

Epidemy. Infectious condition (disease, damage or any other event related to health) that occurs at a scale higher than the normal scale expected.

Erosion. The process of removing and transporting soil and rock caused by the climate.

Evaporation. Process through which a liquid becomes a gas.

Evapotranspiration. The combination of the evaporation process of the Earth and vegetation transpiration.

External Climate Event. Event considered as rare within the distribution of statistical reference of a particular place.

Externalities. Byproducts of activities that affect people’s wellbeing or the environment, where those impacts are not reflected in the price market. The costs or benefits associated with externalities are not included in the cost scheme.

Extinction. Full disappearance of a species.

Fast Climate Change. The variability of the climate system results in fast climate changes, sometimes called abrupt or even unexpected changes. Some of them may be expected, others may be totally unexpected.

Food Insecurity. Situation that occurs when a population does not have access to sufficient amounts of food for a normal and healthy development. It can be caused by the lack of resources, economic insufficiency, inappropriate distribution or unsuitable use of food among the members of the family. Food insecurity may be chronic, seasonal or transitory.

Fossil Fuel. Fuel based on the carbon of fossil deposits, including petroleum and natural gas.

Fossil CO2 Emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions as a result of burning of fuel obtained from fossilized carbon deposits such as petroleum, gas and carbon.

Glacier. Ice mass accumulated in mountain zones over the limit of perpetual snow with its lower part slowly sliding, as a river.

Global Surface Temperature. Is the average of the Global weight of the marine surface over the oceans and the surface of air temperature at 1.5 m over the earth.

Global Warming: increase in atmospheric temperature produced by the increased generation of greenhouse gases.

Global Warming Potential. Defines the integrated warming effect along time; it currently produces an instantaneous liberation of 1kg of greenhouse gas, compared to that caused by CO2. The radioactive effects of each gas are taken into consideration as well as the different permanence times in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse Gas Effect. Gases that contribute to the natural Greenhouse Effect. They are six: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), in addition to three fluoride industrial gases hydro fluorocarbons (HFC), per fluorocarbons (PFC) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Greenhouse Effect. Natural atmospheric phenomenon that helps maintain the planet temperature, retaining part of the solar energy.

Group of 77 and China (G77/China). Originally 77, at present over 130 developing countries that act as a negotiations block in the process of the United Nations Framework Agreement on Climate Change. AI G77/China is also known as “Non-Annex I countries.”

Gross Primary Production. Amount of carbon in the atmosphere based on photosynthesis.

Habitat. Place with suitable conditions for organisms, species, or animal or vegetal community to live.

Halocarbons. Compounds containing chloride, bromine or fluorine and carbon. They may act as powerful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Halocarbons containing chloride and bromine are involved in the depletion of the ozone layer in the atmosphere.

Heterotrophic Breathing. Conversion of organic matter to CO2 by organisms other than plants.

Hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs). They are among the six greenhouse gases included in the Kyoto Protocol. They are produced as substitutes of Chlorofluorocarbons. Large amounts of HFC are used as coolers and semi-conducers. Their global warming potential is from 1300 to 11,700.

Human Settlement. Place or area occupied by inhabitants.

Human System. Any system where human organizations play an important role. Normally, but not always, this term is associated with “society” or “social system”.

Hydrosphere. Set of liquid parts of the earth globe.

Implementation. Implementation refers to the actions (legal or regulatory) taken by the government to convert international agreements into domestic laws and policies.

Increased Seal Level. Increase in the regular sea level. Sea level increases or drops as a result of movements on the earth layers or due to an increase in water temperature, which causes smelting.

Industrial Revolution. Fast industrial growth period with deep social and economic consequences. It started in England in the second half of the XVIII century and extended to the rest of Europe and later to other countries. The invention of the vapor machine was an important factor that triggered these changes. The Industrial Revolution is the start of a period with heavy use of fossil fuel and strong emissions, particularly fossil carbon dioxide.

Industrialization. Transformation of a society based in manual jobs to one that uses mechanic devices.

Inertia. Property where matter continues its straight line and uniform rest or moving status unless this status changes due to some external force. In terms of climate change mitigation, it is associated with different forms of capital.

Implementation Costs. Costs involved in the implementation of mitigation options. These costs are associated with the necessary institutional changes, information requirements, market size, gaining opportunities and the implementation of the necessary technology and economic incentives (subsidies and taxes).

Intergovernmental Organization (IGO). Organizations constituted by governments, e.g., the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OCED), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other regional organizations of the United Nations System.

International Energy Agency (IEA). Government organization created in 1974, whose main office is in Paris. It is part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), created to take joint measures between member countries to face emergencies in petroleum supply, exchange energetic information, coordinate energetic policies and cooperate in the development of rational energy programs.

Infrastructure. Basic facilities of which the operation and growth of a community depend, i.e., roads, schools, electricity, gas, water and communication systems.

IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Integrated Evaluation. Analysis method that combines results and models of physical, biological, economic and social sciences and their interaction with these components, in a consistent framework to assess the status and the consequences of climate change and the respective policies.

Joint Implementation (JI). Market-based implementation mechanism, defined in article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol. It enables Annex I countries or their companies, to jointly implement projects to restrict or reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Joint Implementation Activities (JIA). Pilot Joint Implementation phase, as defined in article 4.2 (a) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, that facilitates the execution of these projects among developed countries (and their companies) and among developed and developing countries (and their companies). The purpose of JIA is that the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention gain experience in the joint implementation of the activities scheduled. There are no funding mechanisms for JIA during the pilot phase. A decision still has to be made about the future of the JIA project and how it can be related to the Kyoto mechanisms.

Kyoto Mechanisms. Economic mechanisms based on market principles that the Kyoto Protocol Parties may use to try to reduce potential economic impact as established in the requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They include: Joint Implementation (article 6), Clean Development Mechanism (article 12) and Trade of Emissions (article 17).

Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is a commitment agreed by the countries to take measures and establish more ambitious commitments regarding what is already established on climate change and the actions to reduce atmospheric warming. It is in effect since February 15, 2005.

Market Barriers. In terms of climate change mitigation, market barriers are the conditions that prevent favorable technologies (cost-benefit) or practices that could mitigate greenhouse emissions from spreading.

Market Impact. Impact associated with the market transactions that directly affect domestic abarrotes.

Methane (CH4). Methane is one of the six greenhouse gases that must be mitigated according to what is established in the Kyoto Protocol.

Methane Recover. Method through which methane emissions, for example, carbon mines or waste deposits, are captured and reused as fuel or with other economic purposes.

Microclimate. Name that defines the set of climate conditions typical of a geographical point or reduced area and which represent a modification.

Misadaptation. Any change in natural or human systems that inadvertently increases the vulnerability to climate stimulus; adaptation that is not able to reduce vulnerability, it increases it.

Mitigation. Human intervention to reduce greenhouse gases and their sources.

Mitigation Capacity. Social, political and economic structures required for effective mitigation.

Net Biomass Production. Net carbon gain or loss in a region. The net biomass production is equal to the net production of the ecosystem less the carbon lost from a disturbance, e.g., forest felling or forest fire.

Nitrous Oxide (N2O). One of the six greenhouse gases included in the Kyoto Protocol.

Non-Annex I Countries. Countries that have ratified or accessed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and which are not included in Annex I of the Convention.

Non-Annex I Countries. Countries that are not included in Annex IB of the Kyoto Protocol.

Ocean Conveyor Belt. Technical path through which water circulates around the oceanic globe, totally moved by wind and thermostatic circulation.

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Greenhouse gases covered as such in the Kyoto Protocol, that result from aluminum handling and uranium enrichment. They replace Chlorofluorocarbons in the manufacturing of semiconductors. The global warming potential of PFCs is 6500 to 9200 times higher than the carbon dioxide.

Photosynthesis. Metabolic process of certain cells of autotrophic organisms, through which organic substances are synthesized from other inorganic substances, using luminous energy.

Planned Adaptation. Adjustment that results from a political decision based on an immediate or coming climate change.

Potential Impact. Any impact that may occur as a result of a certain projected climate change, without taking into account adaptation.

Precursors. Atmospheric compounds that are not greenhouse gases or aerosols, but which have an effect on them, taking part of the chemical or physical processes by regulating production or destruction ranges.

Primary Energy. Energy contained in natural resources (carbon, raw petroleum, solar light, uranium) which has not suffered any anthropogenic intervention.

Private Adaptation. Adjustment started and implemented by individuals, families or private companies. Private adaptation is within the personal interest of the one who carries it out.

Project Costs. Financial costs of a Project; they can be capital, work or operational costs.

Private Costs. Cost category that defines the decision of a person.

Public Adaptation. Adjustment started and implemented by the government.

Reactive Adaptation. Adjustment that takes place after the climate change impacts have occurred.

Reforestation. Replanting a land with forest plants.

Regeneration. Renewed plantation of trees by natural means (wind, birds or other animals) or artificial means (direct plantation of seeds)

Regulatory Measures. Rules or codes established by the governments that define the specifications for the products or the characteristics of the operation processes.

Relative Seal Level. Sea level measured with a specific device (sea meter), taking as reference the firm land on which it is located. The mean sea level is normally defined as the average of relative sea level during one month, one year or any other period sufficiently long to calculate the mean value of transitory elements such as waves.

Renewable Energy. Sources of sustainable energy (within the short time the Earth requires to complete its cycles) and includes non carbon-based technologies such as solar energy, hydroelectric energy, and aeolic energy, as well as neutral carbon technologies such as the biomass.

Reservoir. Component of the climate system (other than the atmosphere) able to keep and accumulate substances.

Residual Impact. Climatic change impact that may occur after adaptation.

Sensitivity. Is the degree at which a system is adversely or positively affected by a stimulus related to climate change. The effect may be direct or indirect.

Sink. Any process, activity or mechanism that removes a greenhouse gas or aerosol from the atmosphere.

Solar Activity. The sun has periods of intense activity, which can be observed in the number of solar spots and on the radioactive energy emission, the magnetic activity and the emission of high energy particles. These variations occur at different temporary scales.

Solar Radiation. Radiation emitted by the Son. It is also known as short wave. The solar radiation has different and distinctive wave lengths (spectrum), established by the Sun’s temperature.

Source. Any process, activity or mechanism producing greenhouse gases or aerosols to the atmosphere.

Spatial and Temporal Scale. The climate may undergo large variations. There are two scales to measure this temporal and spatial variation; the spatial scale may vary from local (less than 100,000 km2), regional scale (100,000 to 10 million km2) and continental scale (10 to 100 million km2) The temporary scale may vary from stationary to geological (up to hundred million years)

Stabilization. Achieving stable atmospheric concentrations in one or more greenhouse gases.

Stratosphere. Upper zone of the atmosphere, from 12 to 100 Km. of altitude.

Sustainable Development. Development that solves the current needs without compromising the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6). One of the six greenhouse gases envisaged in the Kyoto Protocol. It is used in large amounts to isolate high voltage equipment and in the manufacturing of wiring cooling systems. Its global warming potential is 23,900.

Thermal Erosion. Erosion of the ice-rich permafrost by a thermal and mechanical combination of moving water.

Trade of “Primary Market” and “Secondary Market”.” Sellers and buyers directly trading in the Primary Market. Those who trade with broker and exchange institutions represent the Secondary Market.

Transition Economies (TE) Countries with changing economies; from centralized systems to market economies. This denomination is mainly assigned to European countries that were part of the old socialist block.

Thermal Expansion. In regard to sea level, it refers to the volume increase (and density reduction) that occurs when water is heated. The expansion in ocean volume and the respective increase in sea level are determined by the warming of oceans.

Trace Gas. Lower atmospheric component. The trace gases that most contribute to the greenhouse effects are: carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide, per fluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons, hydro fluorocarbons and water vapor among others.

Tsunami. Gigantic wave produced by a submarine earthquake or a volcanic eruption.

Voluntary Agreement. Agreement between government authorities and one or more parties from the private sector, and a unilateral committee, acknowledged by the public authorities to achieve environmental goals or improve the environmental operation beyond its fulfillment.

Voluntary Measures. Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, taken by companies, private associations or other players in absence of governmental mandates. Voluntary measures result in the manufacturing of “environmentally” friendly products or easy available processes. Additionally, environmental values are adopted by end consumers in their purchase decisions.

Vulnerability. The degree at which the a system is subject to adverse climate change effects. Variability depends on the climate magnitude and variation scale to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity and adaptive capacity.

Ultraviolet Radiation. Long-wave solar radiation of 280-320 NM, most part is absorbed by the stratospheric ozone. Increased ultraviolet radiation suppress the immune system and may have other negative effects in living organisms.

Uncertainty. Expression to define that the future of the climate system is unknown. This may be due to the lack of information or due to disagreements on what is known or may be known. Uncertainty may be represented by quantitative measures.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. International legal instrument in effect regarding this issue. This international treaty signed by most countries is effective as from March 21, 1994. The Convention establishes the difference between member countries, based on their economic development. Consequently, part of Annex I are the industrialized countries that were members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1992, in addition to other countries with transition economies, including the Russian Federation and other states of Eastern Europe.

Use of the Land. The social and economic purposes with which men uses the land. Change in the use of land. Change in terms of management or use of land by men that may be the cause of changes in land coverage. These changes may have an impact in the albedo, the Evapotranspiration, the sources and drains of greenhouse gases and therefore, they may have an impact in the local or global climate



Source: Climate Change in Mexico (http://cambio_climatico.ine.gob.mx/glosario.html)