Abbreviations - A-D

Abbreviations A-D: A B C D

Assigned Amount Units
AAUs are the units used to define emission allowances assigned under the Kyoto Protocol. These allowances are for the man-made emissions of greenhouse gases which an industrialised country is permitted to emit over a certain commitment period. One Assigned Amount Unit is the equivalent of a metric tonne of Carbon Dioxide.
 

Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment
A committee made up of representatives from business which advises the Government on business needs in relation to the Environment.
 

Activities Implemented Jointly
Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) was established in April 1995 as the precursor of Joint Implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism. The aim of AIJ was to establish a partnership between governments or firms in two or more countries to design and build a project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Over 100 projects have been implemented in both developed and developing countries.
 

Coal Bed Methane
Coal bed methane can be captured and used and this can form a climate change project. There may also be potential for the seams that held the gas to be used for carbon dioxide sequestration.
 

Climate Change Agreements
Formally Climate Change Levy Agreements - sector wide negotiated agreements to reduce energy use in return for an 80% discount on the Climate Change Levy.
 

Climate Change Levy
A levy on the non-domestic use of energy, introduced by the Government on 1 April 2001, to provide an incentive to business to use less energy and use less carbon intensive forms of energy.

Climate Change Projects
Projects which will result in a net reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases.
 

Climate Change Projects Office
Government funded office (jointly funded by DTI and Defra) to assist UK business to engage in the Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation.
 

Community Development Carbon Fund
This fund aims to link small-scale projects in developing countries which are seeking carbon finance with those companies, governments, foundations, and NGOs that are seeking to improve the livelihoods of local communities and obtain verified emission reductions.
 

Clean Development Mechanism
A Clean Development Mechanism project is a Climate Change Project undertaken in a developing country. It leads to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and contributes to the host country's sustainable development. Credits are awarded for these reductions - Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) - can be used to contribute to the emission reduction commitments of industrialised countries. Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol defines CDM.
 

The CDM Executive Board
The UNFCCC appointed body responsible for overseeing the CDM process, approving third party validators and verifiers, approving projects and ultimately issuing carbon credits for CDM projects.

Certified Emission Reduction
The carbon credits arising from Clean Development Mechanism projects. One CER is awarded for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent in impact to one tonne of carbon dioxide.
 

Combined Heat and Power
A system whereby electricity is generated locally, and the heat produced as a bi-product of the generation is also used, increasing overall energy efficiency.
 

Coal Mine Methane
Coal mine methane is also known as "mines gas". Its capture and use can form a climate change project.
 

Carbon dioxide equivalent
Each of the greenhouse gases addressed by the Kyoto Protocol can be identified in terms of its climate change impact relative to that of carbon dioxide. The common unit for emissions reductions is one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent.
 

Conference of the Parties
The annual conference held between the countries that are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to determine the means by which the framework will be implemented.
 

Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol
This refers to the international conference held after the Kyoto Protocol has been ratified.
 

Carbon Purchase Agreement
Also referred to as an Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) - this is the contract between the carbon buyer and seller.
 

Commitment Period Reserve
The aim of the commitment period reserve is to prevent the countries overselling their emission permits by requiring each of them to maintain a certain amount of permits in their account.
 

The Carbon Trust
A private body with public funding charged with taking the UK towards a low carbon economy. It operates the Action Energy programme of energy audits and targeted energy efficiency advice, and runs the Low Carbon Innovation Programme.
 

Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department with responsibility for the UK Climate Change Programme, and which takes the lead role in international negotiations on Climate Change.
 

Department for International Development
The Department responsible for developing and supporting international development projects.
 

Department for Transport
The Department with responsibility for UK transport policy.
 

Designated National Authority
The DNA is the official body representing the Government which takes part in the arrangement of CDM/JI projects. For JI host countries, the DNA approves the projects and issues the emission reduction units.
 

Designated Operational Entity
Designated operational entities are independent bodies accredited by the CDM Executive Board (CDM EB) that validate projects (eligibility of project type, baseline, monitoring and verification plan etc) and recommend whether or not the CDM EB should approve the project. They also verify the amount of emission reduction credits which should accrue to the project, prior to the issue of the credits by the CDM EB.
 

Department of Trade & Industry
The Department with responsibility for supporting UK industry both in the UK and overseas.