Adaptation
In the context of climate change: adaptation to climate change and extreme weather events.
Anthropogenic or Man-Made Greenhouse Effect
The part of the greenhouse effect that is caused by human influences. Any effect, process, object, or material that emerges from human activities is referred to as anthropogenic.
Annex I Countries
Annex I to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change contains a lists of all the countries which have committed to the reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions to the level of 1990 until the year 2000. The list contains all member countries of the OECD members in 1992 (western European countries, Turkey, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand), the transition countries in central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Republics. The term is often used as a synonym for "industrial countries".
Annex II Countries
Annex II of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change lists all the developed countries that were OECD members in 1992, which are the Annex I countries excluding the transition countries. The Annex II countries have committed to providing financial resources to assist developing countries with the implementation of the Convention and to support the transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing and transition countries.
Annex B Countries
Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol, agreed in 1997, contains all the countries that have committed to specific emission reduction targets during the first commitment period (2008-2012) of the Protocol. The Annex B countries comprise the Annex I countries excluding Belarus and Turkey, but including Croatia, Slovenia, Monaco and Liechtenstein.
AOSIS – „Alliance of Small Island States"
A coalition of small island and low-lying coastal countries that would be particularly affected by a sea level rise resulting from global warming.
Assigned Amounts
In the context of the Kyoto Protocol, it quantifies the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that may not be exceeded by an Annex B country in the commitment period 2008 to 2012. The amount results from the emissions in the base year (1990) times 5 (5-year commitment period), multiplied by the percentage to which the country has committed according to Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol (for example 0.92 in case of the European Union).
Cirrus Clouds
High clouds composed of ice crystals. They are characterized by thin, wisplike strands, sometimes hook-shaped. Aviation trails are also ranked among cirrus clouds. They emerge when hot steam emitted by airplanes condenses instantly due to the low temperature. Cirrus clouds reduce radiative heat losses to space, so that an increase in the amount of these clouds due to aviation may strengthen the greenhouse effect.
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
An arrangement under the Kyoto Protocol which allows Annex B countries (industrialized countries) to invest in emission reducing projects in developing countries. The funding country has two options to use the amount by which the developing country’s emissions are reduced: It can either decrease its domestic emission reduction target by the same amount or sell emission reduction units to other Annex B countries.
Climate
Average atmospheric condition in a certain place. Meteorological events are usually recorded and averaged usually over a period of 30 years. In contrast, weather is the atmospheric condition at a certain point in time. Meteorological events are, for example, heat, sunshine, wind or rain.
Conference of the Parties (COP)
The supreme body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It convened for the first time in 1995 and meets annually ever since. Its function is to promote and review the implementation of the Convention.