Glossary of Terms
Accreditation
Assessment and registration of a project against the criteria of the Code of Good Practice.
Additionality
A project is ‘additional’ if it, and the activities supported by it, could not have happened without the carbon finance.
Afforestation
The direct, human-induced conversion to woodland of land that has not previously been forested according to historical records. The IPCC sets a threshold of a continuous absence of woodland over the previous 25 years.
Baseline
The starting reference point from which the carbon benefits of project activities can be measured or calculated. A dynamic baseline may be required if the previous land use has not achieved a steady state in terms of carbon dynamics.
Biodiversity
The variety of ecosystems and living organisms (species), including variability and genetic variation within species, and the ecological complexes within and between ecosystems.
Buffer
A carbon pool of sufficient size to cover both uncertainty in carbon measurement and potential losses which may occur from the project over time, thus ensuring the permanence of emissions reductions.
Carbon pool
A system that can store and/or accumulate carbon, e.g. above-ground biomass, leaf/needle litter, dead wood and soil organic carbon.
Carbon sequestration
Direct removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through land-use change, afforestation, reforestation and/or increases in soil carbon (biological sequestration only).
Carbon offsetting
Calculating emissions and then purchasing ‘credits’ from emission reduction projects that have prevented or removed the emission of an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide elsewhere.
Carbon sink
A carbon pool that is expanding, e.g. a growing forest.
CDM
(Clean Development Mechanism) One of the flexible mechanisms created by the Kyoto Protocol.
Climate change
Change or changes in the climate which can be directly or indirectly attributed to human activity (UNFCCC Article 1).
CO2
(Carbon dioxide) - A naturally occurring gas and by-product of burning fossil fuels or biomass, land-use changes and industrial processes. It is the principal anthropogenic (caused by human activity) greenhouse gas that affects the Earth’s climate.
Crediting Period
the duration over which a project generates emissions reductions or carbon credits.
Deforestation
Permanent or long-term removal of woodland; the direct, humaninduced conversion of forested land to another land use, or the long-term reduction of the tree canopy cover below the minimum 20% threshold.
Ecosystem
A community of plants and animals (including humans) interacting with one another and their environment.
Forest
See 'woodland'
FSC
Forest Stewardship Council.
Double-counting
Double-counting occurs when the same carbon credit is claimed by two separate entities in respect of the same emissions, or when the same credit is sold more than once in respect of the same unit of carbon reduction or sequestration.
GHGs
Greenhouse gases. The gases which are causing the warming of the Earth's atmosphere that is leading to climate change. Six gases are defined in the Kyoto Protocol as contributing to climate change: carbon dioxide, hydrofluorocarbons, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons and sulphur-hexafluoride. These contribute to the 'greenhouse effect'.
ISO
International Standards Organisation.
Leakage
The unintended change of carbon stocks outside the boundaries of a project, but resulting directly from the project activity (usually thought of as being negative, although positive leakage can occur). The change might be an increase in emissions or a decrease in sequestration, resulting in a lower carbon benefit being attributable to the project.
Mitigation
Implementing activities or policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or enhance carbon sinks.
Native species
A species that has arrived and inhabited an area naturally, without deliberate assistance by humans, or which would occur at the location had it not been removed through human intervention in the past.
Naturalised species
A non-native species that reproduces consistently and sustains populations over more than one life cycle without direct intervention by humans.
REDD
Reduction of emissions from degradation and deforestation.
Reforestation
Direct, human-induced establishment of forest on non-forested land that had been forested at some time in the past.
Registry
The official record of the number of carbon credits that have been sold, and of the projects (or schemes) that sold them.
Terrestrial carbon management
Any land-use management practice designed to increase net carbon benefits, either through increasing carbon stocks or protecting carbon stocks from losses over time.
UNFCCC
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. An international framework convention on climate change policy.
Validation
The initial evaluation of a project against published standards (in this case, the Woodland Carbon Code), undertaken before registration by an expert reviewer.
Verification
The evaluation of the delivery of emissions reductions or carbon credits by a project.
VCM
Voluntary Carbon Market
VERs
Voluntary Emissions Reductions. Emission reductions made where there is no legal requirement to do so, i.e. outwith Kyoto or any other regulatory scheme.
Woodland
Land under stands of trees with a canopy cover of at least 20% (25% in Northern Ireland), or having the potential to achieve this. This definition includes integral open space and felled areas that are awaiting restocking (replanting). (This definition is also applicable to 'forest'). |
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Carbon Woods Ltd, Shaw House, 54 Bramhall Lane South, Bramhall, Cheshire SK7 1AH. Telephone 0161 440 2779
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