Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Requiring air or oxygen, used in reference to decomposition processes that occur with the inclusion of oxygen
Composite material made by blending materials under selected conditions. Plastic polymers or co-polymers can be blended with other polymers or elastomers to produce a plastic alloy, e.g. Polycarbonate with ABS. Similarly, different metals can be blended to produce metal alloys such as brass and bronze.
Absorbable organic halogen compounds - a collective term for the amount of chlorine or other halogens bound to organic matter in wastewater.
American Tree Farm System - a US forest certification system.
A method promoted by The Natural Step. The idea is to encourage organizations to think about sustainability by projecting 10, 20 or 50 years ahead to where they would like to be. Back-casting is the process that enables you to start from where you want to get to, and figure out the steps you’d need to take to work backwards to where you are now. So, you might set a target of 'climate neutrality by 2030'. Back-casting would fill in the action you’d need to take from 2030 backwards.
Biological Oxygen Demand - a measure of the amount of oxygen consumed by microorganism in breaking down organic matter in effluent during a certain period.
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an independent not-for-profit organization aiming to create a lasting relationship between shareholders and corporations regarding the implications for shareholder value and commercial operations presented by climate change. Its goal is to facilitate a dialogue, supported by quality information, from which a rational response to climate change will emerge. For more info click here.
A carbon footprint is a "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide." It is meant to be useful for individuals and organizations to conceptualize their personal (or organizational) impact in contributing to global warming.
Sistema Brazileiro de Certificacao Florestal - a Brazilian forest certification system endorsed by PEFC.
Chicago Climate Exchange is North America's only and the world's first global marketplace for integrating voluntary legally binding emissions reductions with emissions trading and offsets for all six greenhouse gases.
The Climate Registry is a collaboration between states, provinces and tribes aimed at developing and managing a common greenhouse gas emissions reporting system with high integrity that is capable of supporting various greenhouse gas emission reporting and reduction policies for its member states and tribes and reporting entities. It will provide an accurate, complete, consistent, transparent and verified set of greenhouse gas emissions data from reporting entities, supported by a robust accounting and verification infrastructure.
Carbon dioxide2 a gas formed during combustion and certain natural processes. Trees utilize carbon dioxide as they grow, through photosynthesis. It is the greenhouse gas whose concentration is being most affected directly by human activities. CO2 also serves as the reference to compare all other greenhouse gases. The major source of CO2 emissions is fossil fuel combustion. Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have been increasing at a rate of about 0.5 percent per year and are now about 30 percent above pre-industrial levels.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted over ten years ago with the aim of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases worldwide and thus curbing global warming. This was followed in 1997 by the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, which sets out binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in industrialized nations. Switzerland has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 8% compared to the levels recorded in 1990. In Switzerland, carbon dioxide (CO2) outputs account for more than 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Chemical Oxygen Demand - a measure of the amount of oxygen required for the total chemical breakdown of organic substances in water.
Includes waste from residential, civil and commercial construction and demolition activities, such as fill material (e.g. soil), asphalt, bricks and timber. C&D waste excludes construction waste from owner/occupier renovations, which are included in the municipal waste stream. Unless otherwise noted, C&D waste does not include waste from the commercial and industrial waste stream.
Canada's National Standard on Sustainable Forest Management - a Canadian forest certification system endorsed by PEFC.
Corporate Social Responsibility - CSR principles cover issues including human rights, labor rights, ethical business practices, communications and community involvement.
Corporate reporting is the voluntary public presentation of information about an organization’s non-financial performance - environmental social and economic - over a specified period, usually a financial year. The release of a corporate sustainability, environmental or health and safety report is seen as increasing transparency and therefore accountability. Internationally, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2002 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines is rapidly becoming the accepted voluntary framework for corporate sustainability or triple bottom line (environment, social and economic) reporting. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has developed outlines of the measurements, or metrics, which are useful for reports and provide background information about how organizations can move towards sustainability.
Contingent Valuation Method. This term is commonly used interchangeably with "global warming" and "the greenhouse effect". Climate change refers to the buildup of gases in the atmosphere that trap the suns heat, causing changes in weather patterns on a global scale. The effects include changes in natural fires, rainfall patterns, sea level rise, droughts, habitat loss, heat stress, and receding glaciers (melting).
The Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Indexes consist of a pan-European and a Eurozone index - the DJSI STOXX and the DJSI EURO STOXX. The Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Indexes track the financial performance of the top 20% of the companies in the Dow Jones STOXX 600 index in terms of sustainability.
The Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes track the financial performance of around 300 companies leading in the field of sustainability. The indexes are reviewed annually.
Driving force - Pressure - State - Impact - Response
Eco-industrial networking involves developing new local and regional business relationships between the private sector, government and educational institutions in order to use new and existing energy, material, water, human and infrastructure resources to improve production efficiency, investment competitiveness, community and ecosystem health (The Canadian Eco-Industrial Network). Examples include using one company's waste as a resource for another. Sometimes, 'waste energy' such as steam can be captured and reused to heat a neighboring space. Other examples include sharing space for training or boardrooms amongst multiple companies located in an office building.
A concept developed by Bill Rees from UBC (Vancouver). It is defined as the area of land and water ecosystems required, on a continuous basis, to produce the resources we consume and to assimilate the wastes that we produce, wherever on Earth the land/water is located. The average Canadian Eco-Footprint is 6.4 hectares / person. That means is takes 6.4 hectares (16 acres) to support a Canadian’s lifestyle. The global average is 2.2 hectares / person; which means Canadians have a very high standard of living compared to other countries. The World Wildlife Fund publishes an annual report on the Eco-Footprint of other countries: See PDF.
Environmental Impact Assessment Although there is no uniformity in how to implement EIA, the following elements of the EIA process can be identified:
Eco-Management and Audit Scheme - a voluntary environmental management system applicable in Europe, based on the EU EMAS Regulation.
Environmental Management Information Systems
An energy audit is a systematic gathering and analysis of energy use information and can be used to determine energy efficiency improvements of a building, plant/equipment or a specific process.
The Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3598:2000 Energy Audits defines three levels of audit.
The floor space in a building that has to be heated or cooled. Equivalent of 85% of gross floor space, excluding lift shafts, cellarage, etc.
EPI-Finance is a set of environmental performance indicators for financial institutions, which helps them to measure and report the environmental performance of their business processes.
The Equator Principles are a voluntary set of guidelines which define a common standard for addressing ecological and social risks related to project finance. The Principles are based on World Bank guidelines. Revision of the IFC Safeguard Standards in 2006 resulted in following changes: Transactions from USD10 million and Project Advisory are included in the new standard.
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment - a thorough study of the impact of an investment project on the environmental and social foundation of local communities.
European Union Emission Trading Scheme
Finnish Forest Certification System - a forest certification system designed to suit local conditions in Finland, and is endorsed by the PEFC.
The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) was founded in 1993, following the environmental summit in Rio. The FSC is a non-governmental organization which campaigns for the ecologically and socially responsible use of woodland worldwide. The organization is supported by environmental organizations, unions, representatives of indigenous peoples as well as a large number of forestry companies and timber producers.
(UK) Forest Stewardship Council - an international forest certification system.
The FTSE4Good Index series includes socially responsible companies. FTSE is jointly owned by the London Stock Exchange and The Financial Times. FTSE4Good is an index for socially responsible investment designed by FTSE, one of the world's leading Global index providers. The FTSE4Good selection criteria cover three areas: working towards environmental sustainability, developing positive relationships with stakeholders, and upholding and supporting universal human rights.
Full cost accounting (FCA) refers to the process of collecting and presenting information (costs as well as advantages) when a decision is necessary. Costs and advantages may be considered in terms of environmental, economical and social impacts. Full cost accounting information can be used by decision-makers to make more "balanced" decision.
The collective body of analytic tools dedicated to the assessment of carbon emissions impacts such as:
See 'UN Global Compact'.
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) was launched at the end of 1997 by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) and is supported by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Its aim is to develop guidelines and quality standards for the voluntary production of sustainability reports. In addition to the GRI, financial services providers in various countries have drawn up further industry-specific solutions.
This is a plant or animal that has been genetically engineered. Many industries use of GMOs while many consumers and organizations question their safety and have called for adequate and independent testing of GMO products. It is legal for farmers in the U.S. and some other countries like Argentina to produce and sell certain GMOs for human and animal consumption, but in other places like Europe and Japan, they are banned until further testing can be done to prove they are safe.
Good Manufacturing Practice - a system designed to prevent hazards in food packaging processes.
Corporate Citizenship covers everything that a company does for society outside its actual business activities. It is the company's attempt to behave in a responsible manner in relation to its partners (employees, customers, suppliers and service providers, as well as shareholders), and like a good private citizen to connect positively and in as many different ways as possible with the communities in which it operates.
Building design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants in five broad areas: sustainable site planning; safeguarding water and water efficiency; energy efficiency and renewable resources; conservation and materials resources; and, indoor environmental quality. (www.cagbc.org)
Global Reporting Initiative - a widely used set of guidelines for sustainability reporting.
Household garbage which is not normally accepted into rubbish bins by local towns, counties, cities, councils -- e.g. old stoves, mattresses.
Visit: http://www.ipcc.ch/
A value concept that focuses on the rights of species who can advocate for themselves. Essentially, this covers all non-human species on the planet. In this context, humans can be seen as stewards or custodians of biodiversity, habitat; it requires us to respect different species and value their co-habitation on this planet with us.
International Organization for Standardization. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a global association of national standards institutions. ISO norms are globally recognized standards used for voluntary self-regulation. The ISO14000 series of standards shows companies how to implement an environmental management system and aims, to give organizations the elements of an effective environmental management system that can be run alongside other management tasks in order to help the organization achieve environmental as well as economic goals (see ISO DIN EN 14001, 1996).
International Organization for Standardization. The need for organizations in both public and private sectors to behave in a socially responsible way is becoming a generalized requirement of society. It is shared by the stakeholder groups that are participating in the WG SR to develop ISO 26000: industry, government, labour, consumers, nongovernmental organizations and others, in addition to geographical and gender-based balance.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies. ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 are families of standards and guidelines relating to management systems. ISO 9000 is associated with quality management. ISO 14000 is associated with environmental management.
The unit for the measurement of energy is the joule (J). As the joule is a rather small unit, a prefix is usually added to form a unit multiple of a more convenient magnitude. For example, kilo (1000 times) is combined to joule to form kilojoule (kJ). Natural gas consumption is usually measured in megajoules (MJ), where 1 MJ = 1 000 000 J. On large accounts it may be measured in gigajoules (GJ), where 1 GJ = 1 000 000 000 J.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. LEED provides a roadmap for measuring and documenting success for every building type and phase of a building lifecycle. See: http://www.usgbc.org/ or LEED Resources.
An objective process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or activity by identifying energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment, and to evaluate and implement opportunities to affect environmental improvements.
Looking at the whole life cycle, as some say, from 'cradle to grave' or preferably 'cradle to cradle' (see 'closed loop' above). Also linked to various tools and techniques for assessing the life-cycle impacts of a product or material, known collectively as life cycle analysis, or LCA.
Livability refers to the environmental and social quality of an area as perceived by residents, employees, customers and visitors. This includes safety and health (traffic safety, personal security, and public health), local environmental conditions (cleanliness, noise, dust, air quality, and water quality), the quality of social interactions (neighborliness, fairness, respect, community identity and pride), opportunities for recreation and entertainment, aesthetics, and existence of unique cultural and environmental resources (e.g., historic structures, mature trees, traditional architectural styles). Livable communities directly benefits people who live in, work in or visit an area, increases property values and business activity, and it can improve public health and safety. Livability is largely affected by conditions in the public realm, places where people naturally interact with each other and their community, including streets, parks, transportation terminals and other public facilities, and so is affected by public policy and planning decisions. (TDM Encyclopedia, Victoria Transport Policy Institute)
Microfinance is a form of retail banking for poor but economically active individuals in developing countries. By obtaining access to financial services, they are able to generate an income from small and micro businesses. This provides them with an opportunity to improve their personal environment on the basis that microfinance is helping them to help themselves. The UN declared 2005 to be the International Year of Microcredit.
MINERGIE is a quality label for new and refurbished buildings in Switzerland. Specific energy consumption is used as the main indicator to quantify the required building quality. Minergie defines several standards for buildings: threshold values for energy consumption, installation and operation of a mechanical air recycling plant. In addition, the added investment above similar, conventionally constructed buildings cannot exceed 10 %. See LEEDS.
A mechanism being used in the US which encourages people to invest in nature conservation, such as protecting, restoring or even creating wetlands, in return for being able to sell ‘credits’ to those who feel a need to destroy valuable habitats. It’s part of the process of internalizing environmental costs which have often been externalized (that is, do not appear on the balance sheet) and therefore ignored.
The Natural Step Framework is a science and systems-based approach to organizational planning for sustainability. It provides a set of design criteria that can be used to direct social, environmental, and economic actions. (www.naturalstep.ca)
New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development
A collective term for the nitrogen oxides formed during combustion, which can contribute to the acidification of soil and water. Gases consisting of one molecule of nitrogen and varying numbers of oxygen molecules. Nitrogen oxides are produced in the emissions of vehicle exhausts and from power stations. In the atmosphere, nitrogen oxides can contribute to formation of photochemical ozone (smog), can impair visibility, and have health consequences; they are thus considered pollutants.
Offsets (Carbon credits) are created when an emitter of greenhouse gas emissions (i.e. carbon dioxide, CO2) makes permanent emissions reductions. For instance, if a large industrial building retrofits older, less energy efficient furnaces for newer higher efficiency equipment, they reduce overall energy consumption and therefore, reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this scenario, if the greenhouse gas emissions can be measured, an ‘offset’ is created and can be sold if the reduction is verified. Many countries and organizations have implemented market trading mechanism for these offsets as part of climate change action plans.
Efforts relating to operational ecology are aimed at limiting the use of resources through appropriate economy measures and at also generating cost savings as a result. Operational ecology focuses on identifying the areas that have an impact on the environment and where action is most urgently needed. Environmental factors are monitored and managed by means of systematic environmental controlling.
In order to be labeled “organic,” a product, its producer, and/or the farmer must meet the organic standards. There are many standards in place and it is important to do some research to find out what’s behind the standard. Generally, organic foods cannot be grown using synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, or sewage sludge, cannot be genetically modified, and cannot be irradiated. Organic meat and poultry is usually fed only organically-grown feed (without any animal byproducts) and often cannot be treated with hormones or antibiotics. Many standards also require that animals must have access to the outdoors, and ruminants must have access to pasture.
Ozone (O3) is an important greenhouse gas found in both the stratosphere and the troposphere (lowest region of the atmosphere). In the stratosphere, ozone provides a protective layer shielding the Earth from ultraviolet radiation and subsequent harmful health effects on humans and the environment. In the troposphere, oxygen molecules in ozone combine with other chemicals and gases (oxidization) to cause smog.
Stratospheric ozone is necessary to filter out harmful radiation from the sun. Scientists have linked depletion of stratospheric ozone to increased incidence of skin cancer and other disorders and environmental degradation. Under international convention and national laws, governments are prohibiting the production, use, and release of ozone-depleting substances.
The protective layer in the Earth’s atmosphere, about 1 5 miles above the ground, that absorbs some of the sun's ultraviolet rays, thereby reducing the amount of potentially harmful radiation that reaches the earth's surface
Financial approaches to managing waste that charge prices according to the quantity of waste collected, rather than a price per pick-up or fixed annual charge, as typically applied to households for curbside services. Pay-by-weight systems may provide an incentive to reduce waste generation.
The point at which we reach maximum global oil production. Peak Oil is not the end of oil or is it an energy crisis. However, many people increasingly believe it is a liquid fuel crisis and a potential economic, political and social crisis. The concept requires us to think about how we’ll transition from a fossil fuel-based lifestyle and economy to one that is void of this convenient and low cost fuel.
As the name suggests, this is about designing pollution (waste and toxic emissions) out of the system rather than finding ways to clean it up. 3M made huge savings through its Pollution Prevention Pays program. See also 'zero waste' and 'resource productivity'.
Those wastes listed in the Environment Protection (Prescribed Waste) Regulations 1998 and being subject to requirements under the industrial waste management policy (prescribed Industrial Waste) 2000. EPA Victoria closely regulates these wastes because of their potential adverse impacts on human health and the environment. Prescribed wastes carry special handling, storage, transport and often licensing requirements, and attract substantially higher disposal levies than non-prescribed solid wastes.
A growing body of EC and other legislation obliging manufacturers to take responsibility for their products once the user/customer disposes of them. Similar to producer responsibility which also makes manufacturers consider the disposal of their products after they've left the factory gates - a great impetus to engage in life-cycle thinking and sustainable design.
A PRTR is an environmental database or inventory of potentially harmful releases to air, water and soil. Also included in the database are wastes transferred for treatment and disposal from the site of their production. In addition to collecting data for PRTRs from stationary (or point) sources such as factories and waste facilities, some PRTRs are designed to include estimates of releases from diffuse sources; these include agricultural and transport activities based on other data elements (e.g. number of automobiles). Data concerning releases and transferred are provided by the facility, and the type, quantity and affected environmental media must be reported. Data are then made available to the public.
Sometimes greater efficiency at a microlevel leads to less efficiency at a macrolevel. For example, if cars become much more fuel efficient, it can lower the cost of driving so that people use their cars more and in aggregate more fuel is consumed and emissions increase.
While this term strictly applies to all materials that may be recycled, the term is generally used in the Towards Zero Waste Strategy and supporting documents in reference to the recyclable containers and paper/cardboard component of curbside waste, i.e. Not including garden organics.
This can refer to using recycled materials, or designing things using materials that can be recycled at the end of the product's life, or designing things so that the product itself can be recycled. Some materials are recyclable in principle but lack a recycling infrastructure or market - the UK Government's WRAP program is specifically aimed at encouraging a market for recycled materials, to bridge this gap.
Statutory authority established under the Environment Protection Act 1970 responsible for planning for municipal solid waste. There are 16 RWMGs across Victoria each covering one or more municipalities. For more information, see Regional Waste Management Groups.
