viii
has presented these GWPs and regularly updates them in new assessments (see
http://unfccc.int/ghg_data/items/3825.php)
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.
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) – The atmospheric gases responsible for causing global
warming and climate change. The major GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O). Less prevalent – but very powerful – greenhouse gases are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and
sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
Gross domestic product (GDP) – Defined as the measure of the total output of
goods and services for final use occurring within the domestic territory of a given
country, regardless of the allocation to domestic and foreign claims.
Heat pumps – Heat pumps offer the most energy-efficient way to provide heating
and cooling in many applications, as they can use renewable heat sources in our
surroundings. A typical electrical heat pump will just need 100 kWh of power to
turn 200 kWh of freely available environmental or waste heat into 300 kWh of
useful heat.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – A scientific intergovernmental body set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and by
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to provide the decisionmakers and others interested in climate change with an objective source of information about climate change. In accordance with its mandate and as reaffirmed
in various decisions by the Panel, the IPCC prepares at regular intervals comprehensive Assessment Reports of scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of human induced climate change, potential
impacts of climate change and options for mitigation and adaptation.
Kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit of energy: is the product of power in kilowatts multiplied by time in hours. Energy delivered by electric utilities is usually expressed
and charged for in kWh.
Light-emitting diodes [LED] lighting – This is a semiconductor diode that emits
light when an electric current is applied in the forward direction of the device, as
in the simple LED circuit. The effect is a form of electroluminescence where
incoherent and narrow- spectrum light is emitted.
Local Agenda 21 (LA21) – Local Agenda 21 is a local-government-led, communitywide, and participatory effort to establish a comprehensive action strategy for
environmental protection, economic prosperity and community well-being in the
local jurisdiction or area.
Megawatt hours (MW) is a unit of energy equal to 1 million watt hours.
Member states – The EU-27 countries are split into New Member States (NMS)
and Old Member States (OMS), based on their date of their accession into the
European Union (EU). The OMS are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland,
Glossary and Abbreviations
has presented these GWPs and regularly updates them in new assessments (see
http://unfccc.int/ghg_data/items/3825.php)
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.
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) – The atmospheric gases responsible for causing global
warming and climate change. The major GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O). Less prevalent – but very powerful – greenhouse gases are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and
sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
Gross domestic product (GDP) – Defined as the measure of the total output of
goods and services for final use occurring within the domestic territory of a given
country, regardless of the allocation to domestic and foreign claims.
Heat pumps – Heat pumps offer the most energy-efficient way to provide heating
and cooling in many applications, as they can use renewable heat sources in our
surroundings. A typical electrical heat pump will just need 100 kWh of power to
turn 200 kWh of freely available environmental or waste heat into 300 kWh of
useful heat.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – A scientific intergovernmental body set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and by
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to provide the decisionmakers and others interested in climate change with an objective source of information about climate change. In accordance with its mandate and as reaffirmed
in various decisions by the Panel, the IPCC prepares at regular intervals comprehensive Assessment Reports of scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of human induced climate change, potential
impacts of climate change and options for mitigation and adaptation.
Kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit of energy: is the product of power in kilowatts multiplied by time in hours. Energy delivered by electric utilities is usually expressed
and charged for in kWh.
Light-emitting diodes [LED] lighting – This is a semiconductor diode that emits
light when an electric current is applied in the forward direction of the device, as
in the simple LED circuit. The effect is a form of electroluminescence where
incoherent and narrow- spectrum light is emitted.
Local Agenda 21 (LA21) – Local Agenda 21 is a local-government-led, communitywide, and participatory effort to establish a comprehensive action strategy for
environmental protection, economic prosperity and community well-being in the
local jurisdiction or area.
Megawatt hours (MW) is a unit of energy equal to 1 million watt hours.
Member states – The EU-27 countries are split into New Member States (NMS)
and Old Member States (OMS), based on their date of their accession into the
European Union (EU). The OMS are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland,
Glossary and Abbreviations