7. Glossary

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A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
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M
N
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A

Item	Description
acute exposure	Exposure to a chemical for 14 days or less.
aerobic respiration	Complex process that occurs in the cells of most living organisms in which nutrient organic molecules such as glucose, combine with oxygen and produce carbon dioxide, water and energy
air inversion	Air temperature increases rather than decreases with height. Temperature inversions arise naturally, but they make air pollution worse by reducing the amount of air in which the pollutants can mix
air pollution	Contamination of air with matter or energy to an undesirable level that may be detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of any living species
air quality	The condition of the air we breathe
airshed	A geographic area requiring unified management for achieving air pollution control
ambient air	Surrounding outdoor air
anaerobic respiration	A complex process that occurs in cells in the absence of oxygen
ANZECC	Australia and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council
Arctic and glacier shrinkage	The floating ice sheets over the Arctic are shrinking. Almost every easily accessible glacier is retreating
atmosphere	The gaseous envelope surrounding the Earth

B

Item	Description
biodegradable	Able to be broken down into simpler compounds by micro-organisms
biofuels	Fuels made from material of biological origin, such as ethanol from fermentation of plant material, or biodiesel made from plant oils
biogenic emissions	Emissions from natural sources including vegetation, soil and oceans
biosphere	The sphere of air, water and land in which all life is found

C

Item	Description
carbon credits	A carbon credit has a money value. It represents what society is prepared to pay someone who reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Credits can be traded with people who need to emit carbon dioxide to run their businesses. The idea is to financially reward people who reduce greenhouse gas emissions
carbon cycle	The complete description of sources and sinks for carbon dioxide, and the associated rates of exchange
carbon dioxide (CO₂)	A greenhouse gas, and the most important contributor to the enhanced greenhouse effect. A product of burning fossil fuels and respiration
carbon offsets	To offset an activity that releases greenhouse gases, money is contributed to a project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions or captures carbon dioxide
carbon monoxide (CO)	A gas that comes mainly from car exhausts. It is lethal at high doses
carbon sequestration	Capturing the carbon dioxide produced by coal-fired power stations and trapping it deep underground. This technology has not yet been proven in Australia, but some trials are underway
carbon sink	A natural process. Some of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is progressively absorbed and stored in the ocean. carbon dioxide is captured by plants and stored as wood and other plant material
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)	Human-made products containing carbon, chlorine and fluorine. Prior to 1990, used as propellant gases for sprays. Can deplete the ozone layer and also behave as greenhouse gases
climate change	A change in the long-term pattern of a weather parameter (such as temperature or rainfall), which may occur on global, regional or local scales. Globally, measurements are showing that the Earth's temperature is warming and that rainfall patterns are changing
coral bleaching	A small increase in the maximum temperature of the sea around coral reefs causes the coral to expel the algae living in its tissue. The coral loses its colour and can die. A future increase in the sea's acidity as more carbon dioxide dissolves into it will make it difficult for corals to grow their skeleton
CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)	The principal scientific research organisation in Australia

D

Item	Description
design concentrations	Maximum acceptable average exposure to a substance at ground level; used to calculate allowable emissions of substances from industries
detrimental level	The concentration of an indicator at or above which a substantial proportion of the exposed population may be affected or significant changes are likely to be caused to some segments of the environment

E

Item	Description
ecological footprint	One method for representing an individual's impact on the planet. It measures how much nature we have, how much we use, and who uses it. It shows us how much biologically productive land and water a population (an individual, an organisation, a city, a country, or all of humanity) requires to support current levels of consumption and waste production, using prevailing technology
ecologically sustainable development	Development that improves the total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends
El Niño	This is the major Pacific Ocean water current that influences changes in weather along the eastern coast of Australia and the western coast of South America. El Niño does not happen every year, and is somewhat difficult to predict, but has a major influence on eastern Australia's rainfall
embodied energy	The energy consumed by all of the processes associated with the production of a product (such as a house, car, or an item of food), from the acquisition of natural resources to product delivery, including mining, manufacturing of materials and equipment, transport and administrative functions
emissions	Substances being released to the environment
emissions inventory	An estimate of the mass of all significant emissions to the atmosphere, over a specified time (usually a year) and within a defined area
emissions trading	An economic system for capping the amount of carbon dioxide produced, and requiring anyone who emits large amounts of carbon dioxide to buy a permit or credit
enhanced greenhouse effect	The total greenhouse effect, consisting of the natural greenhouse effect and the additional effect resulting from human activities that increase the atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases
EPA (Environment Protection Authority)	Government body established with a charter to protect the environment. EPA Victoria, for example, is charged with protecting the beneficial uses of the air, water and land from the adverse impact of wastes and unwanted noise. To do this it uses a range of mandatory and discretionary tools
externalities	Costs or benefits arising from decisions made by some individuals which impact on other individuals. An example could be the flooding of low-lying islands in the Pacific as a result of global warming due to Western industrialisation

F

Item	Description
fossil fuels	Material rich in carbon formed from living organisms buried millions of years ago and burnt to provide energy. Coal, natural gas and oil are examples

G

Item	Description
GDP	Gross Domestic Product
geothermal	Some rocks deep below the Earth are hot enough to generate high-pressure steam when water is pumped through them. This potential energy source is being investigated for the production of electricity
gigatonne	One billion tonnes = 10⁹ tonnes = 10¹² kilograms
global climate models	Computer programs which model, describe and predict the behaviour of the atmosphere and oceans
global warming	The increase in temperature of the lower atmosphere due to human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of land
greenhouse effect	A process whereby water vapour, carbon dioxide and other gases present in small quantities in the atmosphere 'trap' heat and warm the Earth's surface
greenhouse gases	Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. The main gases are carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane

H

Item	Description
HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons)	A group of human-made compounds not found anywhere in nature. HCFC production began to take off in the 1980s after countries agreed to phase out the use of CFCs, which were found to be destroying the ozone layer. Most HCFCs are broken down in the lowest part of the atmosphere, and pose a much smaller risk to the ozone layer than CFCs
hydrocarbon	Substances composed of carbon and hydrogen

I

Item	Description
indicator	A substance which is used as a measure of environmental change
indoor air quality	The totality of attributes of indoor air that affect a person's health and wellbeing

K

Item	Description
kilotonne	One thousand tonnes = 10³ tonnes = 10⁶ kilograms
Kyoto Protocol	An international agreement decided in 1997 to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted by developed countries. Most developed countries agreed to reduce their emissions. A new agreement is to be developed in 2012

M

Item	Description
megatonne	One million tonnes = 10⁶ tonnes = 10⁹ kilograms
methane (CH₄)	A greenhouse gas that is produced when plant and animal remains or wastes break down under special conditions
motor vehicle emissions	The gases and particles given off through the exhausts following the combustion of fuel in vehicle engines. Includes carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, small particles and water vapour

N

Item	Description
NEPM	National Environmental Protection Measure

O

Item	Description
OECD	The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
organic	Substances containing carbon–carbon bonds
oxidant, oxidising agent	A substance that accepts electrons during chemical reactions. These reactions often involve oxygen, resulting in the formation of oxides. Rusting of steel is an example of this type of reaction
oxides of nitrogen	A group of chemicals containing nitrogen and oxygen in different proportions: examples include nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N₂O)
ozone	A gas with molecules comprising three atoms of oxygen (O₃). Ozone is beneficial in the stratosphere because it absorbs damaging ultraviolet rays. In cities, air pollutants can react to form summer smog, containing higher than natural levels of ozone, which are harmful to human health
ozone layer	A region in the stratosphere where there is a small but important amount of ozone that provides a protective layer shielding the Earth from ultraviolet radiation

P

Item	Description
particles	Very small pieces of solid or liquid matter, such as soot, dust and smoke. They can be of different sizes. Those less than 10 micrometres in diameter are called PM10 (PM standing for particle matter) and those less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter are called PM2.5
per capita consumption	The average amount of a commodity used per person
photosynthesis	The process whereby plants use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into complex organic molecules and oxygen
plume	A visible or measurable discharge of a pollutant from a given source. Examples include smoke from a chimney, exhaust from a poorly maintained car, or smoke rising from a bushfire
point source emissions	Emissions of waste from significant, fixed sources such as large industrial premises
pollutant	A chemical that may reduce the quality of the environment
pollution	Reduction in the quality of the environment by one or more pollutants
ppm (parts per million)	A measure of small quantities. Usually expressed as a volumetric ratio ('ppmv'). If a pollutant concentration is 1 ppmv, it takes up 0.0001% of the air's volume
primary pollutant	A substance that is released directly into the atmosphere following a chemical reaction

R

Item	Description
real prices	Income, costs, prices or interest rates that are adjusted for inflation
respiration	Aerobic oxidation of food or organic substances by organisms that releases usable energy, carbon dioxide and water

S

Item	Description
satellite image	A picture of the Earth's surface taken from a satellite in space
secondary pollutants	Substances formed by many complex reactions between primary pollutants and other components in the atmosphere like water and oxygen
sick-building syndrome	A health problem caused by exposure to indoor pollutants. Symptoms include dizziness, headaches, coughing, sneezing, nausea, burning eyes and upper-respiratory problems. The symptoms are believed to arise from many causes that, while not clearly understood, are associated mainly with air-conditioned office buildings and new furnishings that emit volatile organic compounds
sinks	Places or processes which remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere
solar radiation	Energy from the sun consisting of a spectrum of electromagnetic waves with many different wavelengths. Includes gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible infrared and radio waves
sources	Places or processes which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
stratosphere	The region of the atmosphere roughly 15–50 km above the Earth's surface
sulfur dioxide (SO₂)	A gas mainly produced by burning coal, although some is emitted by diesel vehicles
summer smog	Air pollution formed from the chemical reaction of nitrogen dioxides and reactive organic compounds in the presence of sunlight to produce secondary pollutants such as ozone. Sometimes called 'photochemical smog'
sustainability	A term being applied to managing the economy, environment and the needs of people. There are many definitions but key aspects are ensuring that there are adequate resources for future generations while having no long-lasting impact on the environment. This must be achieved while maintaining an economy and looking after the needs of all people

T

Item	Description
target	Targets for the reduction of greenhouse emissions are being discussed to reduce the impact of climate change. Countries will be set greenhouse emission targets to be reached by a specified date
technical efficiency	A physical relationship between resources and products. It is achieved when a maximum level of output is obtained from a given level of input
tipping points	Scientists are investigating situations which could rapidly accelerate climate change once a specific point has been reached, leading to irreversible changes. For example, if the permafrost in the northern hemisphere melts, the carbon locked in the soil could be released, accelerating climate change
troposphere	The lower layer of the atmosphere extending to 8–18 km above the Earth's surface. At the poles, the troposphere is 8 km thick whereas, at the equator, it is 18 km thick. In the troposphere, temperature normally decreases with height

U

Item	Description
UNEP	United Nations Environment Programme
urban airsheds	A body of air surrounding a city or township in which pollutants, once emitted, may concentrate

V

Item	Description
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)	Volatile organic compounds have boiling points between 50 °C and 260 °C. This term refers to hundreds of compounds including methane (CH₄), benzene (C₆H₆), formaldehyde (CH₂0), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and bromine-containing halons

W

Item	Description
water vapour	The most important contributor to the natural greenhouse effect. Human activities contribute a tiny proportion of water vapour compared with the natural processes of evaporation and transpiration
weather	The day-to-day changing atmospheric conditions. Data collected on the weather conditions of a region helps define its climate
WHO	World Health Organization