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Terms & Acronyms

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Term	Acronym	Vocabulary	Vocabulary Type	Definitions
Abrupt Climate Change		Glossary of Climate Change Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Sudden (on the order of decades), large changes in some major component of the climate system, with rapid, widespread effects.
climate change		Environmental Issues Terms & Acronyms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: This term is commonly used interchangeably with "global warming" and "the greenhouse effect," but is a more descriptive term. Climate change refers to the buildup of man-made gases in the atmosphere that trap the sun's heat, causing changes in weather patterns on a global scale. The effects include changes in rainfall patterns, sea level rise, potential droughts, habitat loss, and heat stress. The greenhouse gases of most concern are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides. If these gases in our atmosphere double, the earth could warm up by 1.5 to 4.5 degrees by the year 2050, with changes in global precipitation having the greatest consequences.
Climate Change		Clean Energy Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from: Natural factors, such as changes in the sun's intensity or slow changes in the earth's orbit around the sun; Natural processes within the climate system (e.g. changes in ocean circulation); Human activities that change the atmosphere's composition (e.g., through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g., deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification, etc.)
Climate change		GlobalChange.gov Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Changes in average weather conditions that persist over multiple decades or longer. Climate change encompasses both increases and decreases in temperature, as well as shifts in precipitation, changing risk of certain types of severe weather events, and changes to other features of the climate system. [See also global change]
climate change		Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Climate change refers to any substantial change in measures of climate (such as temperature or precipitation) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from natural factors and processes or from human activities. See: Climate Change Indicators in the United States (https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators)
Climate Change		Web Taxonomy-Environmental Media Topics	Taxonomy	Definition: A term used to describe short and long-term affects on the Earth's climate as a result of human activities such as fossil fuel combustion and vegetation clearing and burning. [EERE: Glossary of Energy Related Terms]
Climate change		Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The term "climate change" is sometimes used to refer to all forms of climatic inconsistency, but because the Earth's climate is never static, the term is more properly used to imply a significant change from one climatic condition to another. In some cases, "climate change" has been used synonymously with the term, "global warming"; scientists however, tend to use the term in the wider sense to also include natural changes in climate. See global warming, greenhouse effect, enhanced greenhouse effect, radiative forcing.
Climate Change		Terms of Environment	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The term 'climate change' is sometimes used to refer to all forms of climatic inconsistency, but because the Earth's climate is never static, the term is more properly used to imply a significant change from one climatic condition to another. In some cases, 'climate change' has been used synonymously with the term, 'global warming'; scientists however, tend to use the term in the wider sense to also include natural changes in climate.
Climate Change		Heat Island Effect Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from: (1) natural factors, such as changes in the sun's intensity or slow changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun; (2) natural processes within the climate system (e.g., changes in ocean circulation); (3) human activities that change the atmosphere's composition (e.g., through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g., deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification, etc.).
Climate Change		Glossary of Climate Change Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among others, that occur over several decades or longer.
Climate change		Student's Guide to Global Climate Change	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: A significant change in the Earth's climate. The Earth is currently getting warmer because people are adding heat-trapping greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The term "global warming" refers to warmer temperatures, while "climate change" refers to the broader set of changes that go along with warmer temperatures, including changes in weather patterns, the oceans, ice and snow, and ecosystems around the world.
Climate Change Action Plan		State and Regional Policy Tracking Definitions	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: A climate change action plan is a comprehensive document that outlines a state's response to climate change, tailored to the state's specific circumstances. It typically includes a detailed emission inventory; baseline and projected emissions; a discussion of the potential impacts of climate change on the state's resources; opportunities for emission reductions; emission reduction goals; and an implementation plan. It also usually identifies and recommends policy options based on criteria such as emission reduction potential, cost-effectiveness, and political feasibility.
Climate Change Division	CCD		Abbreviation and Acronym List
Climate Change Division	CCD		Abbreviation and Acronym List
Climate Change Division	CCD		Abbreviation and Acronym List
Climate change refugia		GlobalChange.gov Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Areas relatively buffered from contemporary climate change that are likely to increase species or ecosystem persistence.
Climate Change Science Program	CCSP	Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-level Rise Glossary and Acronyms	Glossary and Key Word List
Global Climate Change		Terms of Environment	Glossary and Key Word List
Global Climate Change		Clean Energy Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Global climate change could result in sea level rises, changes to patterns of precipitation, increased variability in the weather, and a variety of other consequences. These changes threaten our health, agriculture, water resources, forests, wildlife, and coastal areas. For more information on the science and impacts of global climate change, visit EPA's Global Warming Web site.
Global Climate Change		Green Power Markets Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from: (1) Natural factors, such as changes in the sun's intensity or slow changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun. (2) Natural processes within the climate system (e.g., changes in ocean circulation). (3) Human activities that change the atmosphere's composition (e.g., through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g., deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification).
global climate change		Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: See climate change.
global climate change		Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Alteration of temperature and precipitation patterns throughout the world.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change	IPCC	Glossary of Climate Change Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The IPCC was established jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization in 1988. The purpose of the IPCC is to assess information in the scientific and technical literature related to all significant components of the issue of climate change. The IPCC draws upon hundreds of the world's expert scientists as authors and thousands as expert reviewers. Leading experts on climate change and environmental, social, and economic sciences from some 60 nations have helped the IPCC to prepare periodic assessments of the scientific underpinnings for understanding global climate change and its consequences. With its capacity for reporting on climate change, its consequences, and the viability of adaptation and mitigation measures, the IPCC is also looked to as the official advisory body to the world's governments on the state of the science of the climate change issue. For example, the IPCC organized the development of internationally accepted methods for conducting national greenhouse gas emission inventories.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change	IPCC	Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Definitions and Acronyms	Glossary and Key Word List
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change	IPCC	Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-level Rise Glossary and Acronyms	Glossary and Key Word List
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change	IPCC	Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The IPCC was established jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization in 1988. The purpose of the IPCC is to assess information in the scientific and technical literature related to all significant components of the issue of climate change. The IPCC draws upon hundreds of the world's expert scientists as authors and thousands as expert reviewers. Leading experts on climate change and environmental, social, and economic sciences from some 60 nations have helped the IPCC to prepare periodic assessments of the scientific underpinnings for understanding global climate change and its consequences. With its capacity for reporting on climate change, its consequences, and the viability of adaptation and mitigation measures, the IPCC is also looked to as the official advisory body to the world's governments on the state of the science of the climate change issue. For example, the IPCC organized the development of internationally accepted methods for conducting national greenhouse gas emission inventories.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Coastal Zone Management Subgroup	IPCC CZMS	Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-level Rise Glossary and Acronyms	Glossary and Key Word List
Respond to Global Climate Change		Web Taxonomy-Functions	Taxonomy	Definition: Includes the design, implementation, and management of domestic and international programs, regulatory and non-regulatory, that address greenhouse gases and global climate change issues. [EPA BRM]
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change	UNFCCC	Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The international treaty unveiled at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992. The UNFCCC commits signatory countries to stabilize anthropogenic (i.e. human-induced) greenhouse gas emissions to "levels that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system". The UNFCCC also requires that all signatory parties develop and update national inventories of anthropogenic emissions of all greenhouse gases not otherwise controlled by the Montreal Protocol. Out of 155 countries that have ratified this accord, the United States was the first industrialized nation to do so.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change	UNFCCC	Glossary of Climate Change Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The Convention on Climate Change sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change. It recognizes that the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The Convention enjoys near universal membership, with 189 countries having ratified. Under the Convention, governments: (1) gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions, national policies and best practices. (2) launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries. (3) cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change. The Convention entered into force on 21 March 1994.
Abrupt Climate Change		EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy	Definition 1: A shift in climate (e.g., temperature or precipitation) that occurs faster than the rate of change in the mechanism causing the change. The shift between glacial and interglacial stages, the shift between warm and cool periods during the last glacial time (Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles), and the Arctic oscillation are all considered abrupt climate changes. The shift in climate can occur over months to thousands of years and can occur in the absence of any known external cause. [NOAA Climate Program Office Glossary] Definition 2: Sudden (on the order of decades), large changes in some major component of the climate system, with rapid, widespread effects.[Glossary of Climate Change Terms]
Climate Change		EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy	Definition 1: A significant change from one climatic condition to another. Definition 2: Climate change refers to any substantial change in measures of climate (such as temperature or precipitation) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from natural factors and processes or from human activities. [Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary] Definition 3: Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among others, that occur over several decades or longer.[Glossary of Climate Change Terms] Definition 4: Non-random change in climate that is measured over several decades or longer. For example. when less energy reaches the earth. temperature decreases and the area covered by snow increases. Consequently less energy is available at the surface. and temperature further decreases.. [NOAA Climate Program Office Glossary]
Climate Change Adaptation		EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy	Definition 1: Adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. Various types of adaptation can be distinguished, including anticipatory and reactive adaptation, private and public adaptation, and autonomous and planned adaptation. [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Glossary, Third Assessment Report Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability] Definition 2: Taking actions to avoid, benefit from, or deal with current and future climate change. Adaptation can take place in advance (by planning before an impact occurs) or in response to changes that are already occurring. [Resilience and Adaptation in New England (RAINE) Glossary] Definition 3: Adjustment or preparation of natural or human systems to a new or changing environment which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities.[Adapted from Glossary of Climate Change Terms]
Climate Change Effects		EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy
Climate Change Impact		EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy	Definition 1: Consequences of climate change on natural and human systems. Depending on the consideration of adaptation, one can distinguish between potential impacts and residual impacts.[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Glossary, Third Assessment Report - Climate Change 2001 - Complete online versions] Definition 2: The direct environmental effects of climate change that might be addressed in a RAINE plan or product. [RAINE Glossary]
Climate Change Mitigation	Hedging, Hedging	EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy	Definition: An anthropogenic intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Glossary, Third Assessment Report Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability]
Climate Change Mitigation Approach		EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy
Climate Change Refugium		EPA EV-Ecosystems-Ecosystem Roles	Taxonomy	Definition: Area relatively buffered from contemporary climate change that is likely to increase species or ecosystem persistence.
Climate Change Scenario		EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy	Definition: A climate change scenario is the difference between a climate scenario and the current climate. [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Glossary, Third Assessment Report - Climate Change 2001 - Complete online versions]
Global Climate Change		EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change	Taxonomy	Definition 1: The long-term fluctuations in temperature. precipitation. wind. and all other aspects of the Earth's climate. External processes. such as solar-irradiance variations. variations of the Earth's orbital parameters (eccentricity. precession. and inclination). lithosphere motions. and volcanic activity. are factors in climatic variation. Internal variations of the climate system also produce fluctuations of sufficient magnitude and variability to explain observed climate change through the feedback processes interrelating the components of the climate system. [NOAA Climate Program Office Glossary] Definition 2: Changes in the global environment that may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life. Global change encompasses climate change, but it also includes other critical drivers of environmental change that may interact with climate change, such as land use change, the alteration of the water cycle, changes in biogeochemical cycles, and biodiversity loss.

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