Climate Change Strategy

BEIS - The department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Biodiversity - The variety of animal and plant life on Earth

Carbon budget - the amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted to be in line with keeping temperatures well below 2°C and pursue a 1.5°C limit to rising temperatures

Carbon dioxide - a key greenhouse gas with a long life-time in the atmosphere.

Carbon neutral - having no net release of carbon dioxide into the environment.  Carbon Neutral may be used as short hand for Net Zero Greenhouse Gas emissions, taking into account our direct emissions in the city from energy use and transport but also our total indirect emissions which includes aviation and the consumption of goods and service produced elsewhere.

CO2e - this stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. This allows the comparison and inclusion of other GHGs (e.g. nitrous oxide and methane) as well as carbon dioxide. It represents the corresponding amount of carbon dioxide that would be required to produce the same level of warming as other GHGs.

Carbon offsetting - practices to neutralise remaining emissions that cannot be removed entirely

CIEH - Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

Decarbonisation -  Reducing the carbon emissions from an energy system.

DEFRA - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Direct Emissions - Direct emissions refers to Scope 1 and 2 emissions in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Protocol and include the Council's use of gas, electricity, transport fuel and water.

EA - Environment Agency

FSA - Food Standards Agency

GHG - Greenhouse gases are those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, which absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect. Water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and ozone (O3) are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Moreover, there are a number of entirely human-made greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as the halocarbons and other chlorine- and bromine containing substances, dealt with under the Montreal Protocol. Besides CO2, N2O, and CH4, the Kyoto Protocol deals with the greenhouse gases sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs). (IPPC)

Global warming - an increase in combined surface, air and sea temperatures averaged over the globe and over a 30-year period (IPPC)

Greenhouse effect - Greenhouse gases effectively absorb thermal infrared radiation, emitted by the Earth's surface, by the atmosphere itself due to the same gases, and by clouds. atmospheric radiation is emitted to all sides, including downward to the Earth's surface. Thus, greenhouse gases trap heat within the surface-troposphere system. This is called the greenhouse effect. (IPPC)

IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United nations body for assessing the science relating to climate change

Kyoto Protocol - this commits industrialised countries to limit and reduce GHG emissions based upon the 1990 levels. (United Nations)

LCC - Lancashire County Council

NOx - term for the nitrogen oxides that are most relevant for air pollution, namely nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide. NOx gases react to form smog and acid rain as well as being central to the formation of fine particles (PM) and ground level ozone, both of which are associated with adverse health effects.

Offsetting - Carbon offsetting refers to the purchase of a tradeable unit, representing emissions rights or emissions reductions, to balance the climate impact of an organisation, activity or individual. Although they can be stored

FPM - particulate matter. Particulate matter is formed in the atmosphere because of chemical reactions between pollutants. These particles include dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. Particulate matter is in the air pollution emitted from vehicles, factories, and burning of fossil fuels

PM2.5 - particulate matter with a diameter equal to or less than 2.5 micrometres also known as fine particulate matter.  Long term exposure is understood to increase mortality risk, particularly from cardiovascular causes.

Scope 1 emissions- direct GHG emissions - these occur from sources that are owned or controlled by the company, for example, emissions from combustion in owned or controlled boilers, furnaces, vehicles, etc.; emissions from chemical production in owned or controlled process equipment (Greenhouse Gas Protocol.org). They are mainly energy related.

Scope 2 emissions- Electricity indirect GHG emissions - this accounts for GHG emissions from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the company. Purchased electricity is defined as electricity that is purchased or otherwise brought into the organisational boundary of the company. Scope 2 emissions physically occur at the facility where electricity is generated. (Greenhouse Gas Protocol.org).

Scope 3 emissions - all other greenhouse gas emissions that occur as a result of activities taking place within wider operations, supply chains, investments, etc.

Sequestration - the uptake of carbon-containing substances, in particular carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Solare PV - Solar Photovoltaic

SRBC - South Ribble Borough Council

Sustainability - meeting the needs of current generations, without compromising future generations or the environment

Vector - Vectors are mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas that spread diseases. A person who gets bitten by a vector and gets sick has a vector-borne disease.

VOC - volatile organic compound, a chemical that changes easily into a gas and can be harmful to health and the environment

WHO - World Health Organisation