Know your terms
  • Carbon Footprint: How much carbon you emit per year (based on your lifestyle).
  • Carbon Neutrality: Zero total carbon released (Balance between carbon released and carbon offset).
  • Carbon Offset: Lets you pay to reduce the global greenhouse gas total.
  • Carbon Sink: A carbon reservoir that absorbs and stores carbon for an indefinite period. The two major natural sinks are plants (photosynthesis) and the oceans.
  • CO2 Sequestration: The process in which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere by carbon sinks.
  • Joint Implementation (JI): The purchase of carbon credits by developed countries in developing countries.
  • Emission Reduction Units (ERU): These are reductions in emissions from joint implementation projects.
  • Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): The financing of carbon reduction projects by developed countries in developing countries.
  • Certified Emission Reductions (CER): Carbon savings from Clean Development Mechanisim projects.
Basic Framework of the Kyoto Protocol (Expires 2012)
  • Emissions trading: Participating countries can purchase savings in carbon from one another. This is in line with the agreed upon commitments for each country at Kyoto.
  • Joint Implementation (JI): Developed countries have the option to purchase carbon credits from GHG projects in developing countries.
  • Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): This allows developed countries to finance carbon reduction projects in developing countries.
Basic agreement at the COP13 Meeting in Bali
  • UNFCCC signatories will work together to create a follow up to the Kyoto Protocol in a time frame of two years.
Websites about the environment and climate change
  • http://epa.gov/climatechange/ : The US Environment Protection Agency on Climate Change.
  • www.bbc.co.uk/climate/ : The British Broadcasting Corporation’s Weather site for Climate Change.
  • www.realclimate.org : A blog by climate and environmental scientists.
Websites about the carbon marketplace:
  • www.ecosystemmarketplace.com : Carbon Market Website
  • http://www.solarbuzz.com : Information on solar investments and projects worldwide.
  • www.pointcarbon.com : Climate change and Markets
Interesting Reading:
  • www.lomborg.com : Home site of Bjorn Lomborg author of ‘The Skeptical Environmentalist.”
  • http://www.terrapass.com/blog/ : Blog on the environment
  • http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment