A
Additionality
3 min read
Proof that a carbon project reduces emissions beyond what would happen naturally in a business-as-usual scenario.
Avoided Emissions
3 min read
Greenhouse gas emissions prevented from entering the atmosphere because a project implemented a cleaner alternative.
Afforestation
3 min read
The process of planting a brand-new forest on land that has not had tree cover for a long time.
B
Biochar
3 min read
A stable, charcoal-like substance created through pyrolysis that locks carbon into the ground for centuries while improving soil nutrients.
Biodiversity
3 min read
The variety of all life on earth, including plants, animals, insects, and micro-organisms, which form complex ecosystems.
Biomass
3 min read
Organic material that comes from plants and animals, and it is a renewable source of energy.
Blue Carbon
3 min read
Carbon captured and stored by coastal and marine ecosystems, such as mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses.
C
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
3 min read
The process of capturing waste carbon dioxide from large point sources, transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not enter the atmosphere.
Carbon Credits
3 min read
A tradable certificate representing the reduction or removal of one metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from the atmosphere.
Carbon Footprint
3 min read
The total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions.
Carbon Neutral
1 min read
A status achieved when an entity balances emitted carbon with an equivalent amount removed or offset to reach net-zero impact.
Carbon Registry
3 min read
An official digital ledger that tracks the lifecycle of a carbon credit, ensuring it is unique and correctly retired.
Carbon Sequestration
3 min read
The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change.
Carbon Trading
3 min read
A market system where companies buy and sell credits representing specific amounts of carbon to manage pollution costs.
Circular Economy
3 min read
A model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible.
Climate Change
1 min read
Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, largely driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels.
Compliance Carbon Market
1 min read
A mandatory marketplace created by government regulations (like EU ETS) where companies must hold credits to cover emissions.
D
Decarbonization
3 min read
The process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from a process such as manufacturing or the production of energy.
Deforestation
3 min read
The purposeful clearing of forested land, largely for agricultural purposes, which heavily contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
Direct Air Capture (DAC)
3 min read
Technology using industrial fans and chemical reactions to scrub CO₂ directly out of the ambient air for permanent storage.
E
Enhanced Weathering
1 min read
Accelerating natural rock weathering processes to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Ecosystem
1 min read
A geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life.
Emissions
1 min read
The production and discharge of something, especially gas or radiation, like greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Energy Efficiency
1 min read
Using smarter technology to perform tasks with less power, often the most cost-effective way to reduce a carbon footprint.
Environmental Attributes
1 min read
The specific 'green' benefits of a project, such as CO₂ saved or biodiversity protected, represented by carbon credits.
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)
1 min read
A framework that helps stakeholders understand how an organization is managing risks and opportunities related to environmental, social, and governance criteria.
F
Forestry
1 min read
The science and craft of creating, managing, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources.
Forward Carbon Contract
1 min read
A financial agreement to purchase carbon credits at a set price for delivery at a future date, providing developers guaranteed income.
Fossil Fuels
1 min read
Non-renewable resources like coal, oil, and natural gas formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals.
G
Geothermal Energy
1 min read
Heat derived within the sub-surface of the earth, carrying thermal energy to the surface which can be harnessed for clean electricity.
Global Warming
1 min read
The long-term heating of Earth's climate system observed since the pre-industrial period due to human activities.
Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
1 min read
Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases.
Greenwashing
1 min read
Deceptive marketing where a company makes false or exaggerated claims about its environmental efforts to appear 'greener' than it is.
Grid Emission Factor
1 min read
A value representing the average CO₂ released per unit of electricity produced by the local power grid.
H
I
K
L
M
Marketplace (Carbon Marketplace)
1 min read
A digital platform where developers list carbon credits for sale, allowing businesses to browse and buy environmental assets.
Mitigation Strategy
1 min read
A long-term plan to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions through renewables, efficiency, and offsetting.
N
O
Ocean Acidification
1 min read
The ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Offsetting
1 min read
The action of compensating for carbon emissions by participating in schemes designed to make equivalent reductions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Ozone Layer
1 min read
A region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation, crucial for protecting environmental and human health.
P
Paris Agreement
1 min read
An international treaty on climate change adopted in 2015, aiming to limit global warming to well below 2°C.
Project Developer
1 min read
The organization responsible for designing and managing a carbon project, from ground work to monitoring results.
Project Validation
1 min read
A formal pre-check by an independent third party to ensure a project's design is scientifically sound before it starts.
Project Verification
1 min read
A post-implementation auditor check to confirm the exact amount of carbon reduced before credits are officially issued.
R
REDD+
1 min read
A UN framework (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) that pays nations to protect existing forests.
Reforestation
1 min read
The natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation.
Renewable Energy
1 min read
Energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed, like sunlight and wind.
Retirement of Carbon Credits
1 min read
The final step where a credit is marked as 'used' in a registry, permanently taking it out of circulation to prevent double-counting.
S
Science-Based Targets (SBT)
1 min read
Emission reduction goals set in line with latest climate science to keep global warming below 1.5°C.
Solar Energy
1 min read
Radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies.
Sustainability
1 min read
Meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
1 min read
17 global UN goals. Carbon projects often 'tag' credits with these to show benefits like clean water or job creation.
T
V
W
X
Y
Z
Zero Carbon
1 min read
A status where a product or service is created without adding new carbon, using zero-emission energy or perfect offsets.
Zero Emissions
1 min read
Describes processes or vehicles that release absolutely no greenhouse gases during operation (e.g., electric cars).
Zero Energy Building (ZEB)
1 min read
A highly efficient building that produces as much renewable energy on-site as it consumes annually.
Zero Waste
1 min read
A circular economy philosophy where products are designed for reuse and recycling to keep everything out of landfills.