Radiation budget
Part of Earth´s energy system. It represents the balance between incoming energy from the Sun and outgoing energy from the Earth. Greenhouse gases for example can alter the net transfer of radiation. This effect again influences climate change and is also known as radiative forcing.
Radiative forcing
A measure of the influence that a factor has in altering the balance of incoming and outgoing radiation energy in the Earth`s atmosphere system. It therefore indicates the relevance for potential climate change (measured in watts per square meter). The concentrations of greenhouse gases for example lead to positive forcing and warm the system. Negative forcing instead tends to cool it. This is for example caused by an increase of aerosols.
Sequestration of CO2
The process of holding back and storing CO2 that emerges from energy production, instead of emitting it to the atmosphere.
Sinks
System that removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. A forest for example is a CO2 sink as the trees absorb atmospheric CO2. According to article 3 of the Kyoto Protocol, the changes in greenhouse gas emissions by additional sinks can be used to meet the emission reduction commitments.