Glossary
Carbon and sustainability glossary
Explore the key terms related to emissions, ESG, energy, carbon and reporting methodologies.
225 terms
A
- Absolute reduction
- Total decrease in emissions.
- Emissions
- Activity data
- Information used to calculate emissions.
- Emissions
- Activity factor
- Measure of an emitting activity.
- Emissions
- Additionality
- Criterion ensuring that a reduction would not have happened without the project.
- Carbon
- Advanced circular economy
- Expanded reuse of resources.
- ESG
- Air pollution
- Contamination of the air.
- Environment
- Alternative energy source
- A source other than fossil fuels.
- Energy
- Avoided carbon
- An emission that was avoided.
- Carbon
- Avoided emissions
- Emissions that did not occur.
- Emissions
B
- Base year
- Reference year used to compare emissions over time.
- Emissions
- Baseline
- Initial reference point for comparison.
- Emissions
- Biodiversity
- Variety of species in an ecosystem.
- Environment
- Bioeconomy
- An economy based on biological resources.
- ESG
- Bioenergy
- Energy generated from biomass.
- Energy
- Biogas
- Gas produced by organic decomposition.
- Energy
- Biogenic emissions
- Emissions from biological sources.
- Emissions
- Biomass
- Organic matter used as an energy source.
- Energy
- Bioremediation
- Use of organisms to remove pollutants from the environment.
- Environment
- Blue hydrogen
- Hydrogen produced with carbon capture.
- Energy
C
- Carbon cap
- Maximum emissions allowed.
- Carbon
- Carbon capture
- The process of capturing and storing CO₂ before it is released.
- Carbon
- Carbon certification
- Validation of emissions.
- Carbon
- Carbon credit
- Certificate representing an emissions reduction.
- Carbon
- Carbon cycle
- The natural circulation of carbon.
- Carbon
- Carbon emissions
- Release of CO₂ into the atmosphere.
- Carbon
- Carbon footprint
- Total associated emissions.
- Carbon
- Carbon intensity
- Emissions per unit of output.
- Carbon
- Carbon management
- Control of carbon emissions.
- Carbon
- Carbon monitoring
- Tracking of emissions.
- Carbon
- Carbon neutral
- When emissions are offset by equivalent removals.
- Carbon
- Carbon neutralization
- Offsetting of the emissions generated.
- Carbon
- Carbon offsetting
- Neutralizing emissions through environmental projects.
- Carbon
- Carbon policy
- Guidelines on carbon emissions.
- Carbon
- Carbon removal
- Removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere.
- Carbon
- Carbon sequestration
- Storage of carbon in forests.
- Carbon
- Carbon trade barrier
- Trade measure designed to limit emissions.
- Carbon
- Carbon uptake
- The process by which forests or oceans capture CO₂.
- Carbon
- Certified renewable energy
- Energy with certification.
- Energy
- Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
- Kyoto Protocol mechanism for emission reduction projects.
- Carbon
- Clean energy
- Low-impact energy.
- Energy
- Clean energy adoption
- Use of renewable sources.
- Energy
- Clean energy generation
- Sustainable energy production.
- Energy
- Clean energy source
- A low-emission source.
- Energy
- Clean energy transition
- Shift to renewable sources.
- Energy
- Clean technology
- Sustainable technology.
- Energy
- Climate adaptation
- Adjusting to the impacts of climate change.
- Climate
- Climate impact
- Effect of emissions on the climate.
- Climate
- Climate indicator
- Climate metric.
- Climate
- Climate justice
- Equity in climate impacts.
- ESG
- Climate mitigation
- Actions to reduce emissions.
- Climate
- Climate neutrality
- Balanced emissions.
- Carbon
- Climate performance
- Results in the face of climate change.
- Climate
- Climate policy
- Guidelines on climate.
- Climate
- Climate report
- Document on climate.
- Climate
- Climate risk assessment
- Analysis of climate impacts.
- Climate
- Climate zone
- Region with specific climate characteristics.
- Climate
- CO₂
- Carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas.
- Carbon
- CO₂e
- Unit that converts gases into their CO₂ equivalent.
- Carbon
- Combustion efficiency
- How effectively fuel is used.
- Energy
- Consumption control
- Management of energy use.
- Energy
- Corporate carbon balance
- A company's total emissions.
- Carbon
- Corporate emissions management
- Management of an organization's emissions.
- Emissions
- Corporate inventory
- An organization-wide emissions inventory.
- Emissions
- Corporate sustainability
- Corporate sustainability strategy.
- ESG
- Cumulative emissions
- Sum of emissions over time.
- Emissions
D
- Data validation
- Checking of data.
- Emissions
- Decarbonization
- Reduction of carbon emissions.
- Carbon
- Decarbonization plan
- Strategy for reducing emissions.
- Carbon
- Decentralized energy
- Generation close to the point of consumption.
- Energy
- Direct emissions
- Emissions from sources owned by the company.
- Emissions
- Direct environmental impact
- Immediate effect on the environment.
- ESG
- Distributed generation
- Energy production close to the consumer.
- Energy
E
- Efficiency management
- Control of operational efficiency.
- ESG
- Efficient electricity use
- Reduction of electricity waste.
- Energy
- Efficient energy use
- Reduction of energy waste.
- Energy
- Electricity consumed
- Electricity consumption.
- Energy
- Electrification
- Switching to electric power.
- Energy
- Embodied carbon
- Emissions associated with production.
- Carbon
- Emission factor
- Value used to convert activity data into emissions.
- Emissions
- Emission level
- Amount emitted.
- Emissions
- Emission limit
- Maximum permitted emission value.
- Emissions
- Emission rate
- Amount emitted per unit.
- Emissions
- Emission source
- Origin of emissions.
- Emissions
- Emission value
- Amount emitted.
- Emissions
- Emissions abatement
- Direct reduction of GHG emissions.
- Carbon
- Emissions allocation
- Distribution of emissions among activities.
- Emissions
- Emissions analysis
- Quantitative assessment of emissions.
- Emissions
- Emissions balance
- Total emissions generated over a period.
- Emissions
- Emissions control
- Management of emissions.
- Emissions
- Emissions data
- Information about emissions.
- Emissions
- Emissions performance
- Results on emissions.
- Emissions
- Emissions planning
- Strategy for controlling emissions.
- Emissions
- Emissions protocol
- Rules for accounting for emissions.
- Methodology
- Emissions reduction
- Decrease in GHG emissions.
- Emissions
- Emissions statement
- Document containing reported emissions data.
- Emissions
- Emissions verification
- Audit of emissions data.
- Emissions
- Energy access
- Availability of energy for use.
- Energy
- Energy analysis
- Study of energy use.
- Energy
- Energy balance
- Relationship between energy consumption and production.
- Energy
- Energy consumption
- Amount of energy used in an activity.
- Energy
- Energy consumption level
- Amount of energy used.
- Energy
- Energy consumption mix
- Breakdown of energy consumption.
- Energy
- Energy consumption reduction
- Decrease in energy use.
- Energy
- Energy demand
- The need for energy.
- Energy
- Energy digitalization
- Use of technology in energy.
- Energy
- Energy efficiency
- Optimized use of energy with less waste.
- Energy
- Energy efficiency control
- Management of energy performance.
- Energy
- Energy efficiency indicator
- Energy efficiency metric.
- Energy
- Energy efficiency level
- Degree of energy efficiency.
- Energy
- Energy efficiency standard
- Energy efficiency rule.
- Energy
- Energy efficiency zone
- Area with high energy performance.
- Energy
- Energy factor
- Energy indicator.
- Energy
- Energy hybridization
- Combination of energy sources.
- Energy
- Energy intensity
- Energy per unit of output.
- Energy
- Energy intensity analysis
- Assessment of energy consumption per unit of output.
- Energy
- Energy justice
- Fair access to energy.
- ESG
- Energy limit
- Maximum energy allowed.
- Energy
- Energy logistics
- Energy management in transportation.
- Energy
- Energy management
- Management of energy consumption.
- Energy
- Energy mix
- Composition of energy sources.
- Energy
- Energy monitoring
- Tracking of energy consumption.
- Energy
- Energy monitoring system
- Energy control.
- Energy
- Energy operation
- Use of energy in operations.
- Energy
- Energy optimization
- Improvement in energy use.
- Energy
- Energy performance
- Operational energy efficiency.
- Energy
- Energy planning
- Energy strategy.
- Energy
- Energy policy
- Guidelines on energy.
- Energy
- Energy report
- Document on energy.
- Energy
- Energy sustainability
- Sustainable use of energy.
- Energy
- Energy system
- Set of energy sources.
- Energy
- Energy technology
- Technology applied to energy.
- Energy
- Energy transition
- Shift to clean energy sources.
- Energy
- Energy validation
- Verification of energy data.
- Energy
- Energy value
- Amount of energy.
- Energy
- Environmental analysis
- Assessment of environmental impacts.
- ESG
- Environmental asset
- A natural resource with economic or ecological value.
- ESG
- Environmental audit
- Systematic assessment of an organization's environmental practices.
- ESG
- Environmental benchmark
- Comparison against the market's environmental best practices.
- ESG
- Environmental certification
- A seal of environmental compliance.
- ESG
- Environmental impact assessment
- Study of environmental impacts.
- ESG
- Environmental indicator
- Metric used to assess environmental performance.
- ESG
- Environmental justice
- Environmental equity.
- ESG
- Environmental licensing
- Environmental authorization.
- ESG
- Environmental management
- Management of environmental impacts.
- ESG
- Environmental management system
- Framework for environmental management.
- ESG
- Environmental monitoring
- Tracking of environmental impacts.
- ESG
- Environmental performance
- A company's environmental results.
- ESG
- Environmental regulation
- Environmental rules.
- ESG
- Environmental report
- Document on environmental performance.
- ESG
- Environmental standard
- Environmental regulation.
- ESG
- Environmental sustainability
- Sustainable practice.
- ESG
- Environmental validation
- Confirmation of environmental data.
- ESG
- Environmental value
- Environmental benefit.
- ESG
- Equivalent emissions
- Emissions converted into CO₂e.
- Emissions
- ESG
- Environmental, social and governance criteria.
- ESG
F
- Fugitive emissions
- Unintentional emissions, such as leaks.
- Emissions
G
- GHG inventory
- A survey of an organization's emissions.
- Emissions
- GHG Protocol
- Global standard for emissions accounting.
- Methodology
- Global warming
- Rise in the Earth's average temperature caused by GHGs.
- Climate
- Governance
- System of organizational management and control.
- ESG
- Green hydrogen
- Hydrogen produced with renewable energy.
- Energy
- Greenhouse gases (GHG)
- Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.
- Climate
H
- Hydropower
- Energy generated from water.
- Energy
I
- Indirect avoided emissions
- Emissions indirectly prevented.
- Emissions
- Indirect emissions
- Emissions generated by third parties.
- Emissions
- Industrial decarbonization
- Reduction of industrial emissions.
- Carbon
- Industrial energy efficiency
- Energy optimization in the industrial sector.
- Energy
- Industrial energy optimization
- Improvement of energy use in the industrial sector.
- Energy
- Installed capacity
- Maximum generation output.
- Energy
- Installed kilowatt
- Installed energy capacity.
- Energy
- Installed power
- Energy generation capacity.
- Energy
- International climate agreement
- Treaty between countries to reduce emissions.
- Climate
- ISO 14064
- International standard for GHG emissions.
- Methodology
K
- Kilowatt-hour consumed
- Energy used.
- Energy
- Kilowatt-hour generated
- Energy produced.
- Energy
L
- Life cycle assessment (LCA)
- Assessment of a product's environmental impacts.
- Methodology
- Low-carbon energy
- Energy with a lower impact.
- Energy
- Low-carbon hydrogen
- Hydrogen with low emissions.
- Energy
- Low-carbon logistics
- Sustainable transportation.
- ESG
- Low-carbon operation
- Low-emission operation.
- Carbon
- Low-carbon technology
- Clean technology.
- Carbon
M
- Materiality
- Identification of relevant topics.
- ESG
- Materiality matrix
- Tool for prioritizing topics.
- ESG
- Mobile combustion
- Emissions from vehicles.
- Emissions
N
- Net Zero
- Balance between emissions and removals.
- Carbon
- Non-renewable source
- A finite energy source.
- Energy
O
- Offset project
- Project to neutralize emissions.
- Carbon
- Operational boundary
- Definition of the emission sources considered.
- Emissions
- Operational control
- Consolidation approach based on operational control.
- Emissions
- Operational decarbonization
- Emissions reduction in operations.
- Carbon
- Operational efficiency
- Process optimization.
- ESG
- Operational efficiency assessment
- Measurement of process efficiency.
- ESG
- Organizational boundary
- Definition of the units included in the inventory.
- Emissions
P
- Paris Agreement
- International treaty to limit global warming.
- Climate
- Polluter
- A source that generates pollution.
- Environment
R
- Reduction capacity
- Potential to cut emissions.
- Carbon
- Regulated carbon
- Emissions subject to legislation.
- Carbon
- Renewable energy
- Energy from natural sources such as solar and wind.
- Energy
- Renewable energy certification
- Guarantee of clean origin.
- Energy
- Renewable generation capacity
- Potential for clean generation.
- Energy
- Renewable source
- A sustainable energy source.
- Energy
- Residual emissions
- Emissions remaining after reduction.
- Emissions
- Resource optimization
- Efficient use of resources.
- ESG
S
- Scope 1
- A company's direct emissions.
- Emissions
- Scope 2
- Emissions from purchased energy.
- Emissions
- Scope 3
- Value chain emissions.
- Emissions
- Specific consumption
- Energy per unit produced.
- Energy
- Specific energy consumption
- Energy per unit produced.
- Energy
- Stationary combustion
- Emissions from fixed sources.
- Emissions
- Sustainability
- Responsible use of resources.
- ESG
- Sustainability balance
- Overall assessment of sustainability performance.
- ESG
- Sustainability indicator
- ESG metric.
- ESG
- Sustainability report
- Document on ESG performance.
- ESG
- Sustainable bioenergy
- Renewable energy from biomass.
- Energy
- Sustainable development
- Growth that respects the environment.
- ESG
- Sustainable energy model
- A clean energy structure.
- Energy
- Sustainable logistics chain
- Lower-impact transportation.
- ESG
- Sustainable operation
- Operation with a lower environmental impact.
- ESG
- Sustainable production cycle
- Lower-impact production.
- ESG
- Sustainable resource use
- Responsible use of natural resources.
- ESG
- Sustainable transportation
- Lower-impact transportation.
- ESG
T
- tCO₂e
- Metric ton of CO₂ equivalent.
- Carbon
- Total energy consumption
- Total energy used.
- Energy
V
- Value chain
- The set of activities that add value to a product or service.
- ESG
Z
- Zero-emission zone
- Area with no GHG emissions.
- Carbon