Anthropocene
An academic term that refers to the geological epoch during which human activities have become a “geological force”. Scientists identify the start of the Anthropocene as the year 1950 with the start of nuclear weapon testing, use of non-recyclable plastics, and rapid population growth.
Carbon Budget
A carbon budget refers to the amount of carbon that can be emitted before global temperature rise exceeds a certain limit. The concept was first proposed in the 1980s and has gained traction since 2009 with the establishment of the 2 °C target as a basis for climate policy. Though carbon budgets are hard to […]
Climate Emergency
The current situation where humans have heated the planet so much that we risk tipping over the climate system into towards a “Hothouse Earth”. The term stresses the necessity of taking urgent action to eliminate and reverse the causes of the heating. Several countries have recently declared a climate emergency.
Climate Justice
A concept in environmental advocacy that highlights how the disproportionately impacts vulnerable groups and nations, and calls for ensuring that the social, economic, and ecological vulnerabilities are taken into account when planning and policies. Rich countries are historically responsible for most cumulative greenhouse gas emissions since the industrial revolution. Yet, it is the poorest countries […]
Energy Transition
Transforming energy systems from depending on to 100% renewable energy. The term often invokes the notion of ‘fuel switching’, where fossil fuels simply get replaced by a renewable energy source. The term “energy transformation” also takes into account energy efficiency and sufficiency when redesigning energy systems for the post-fossil fuel age.
Global Warming
Global warming is the increase in average global temperature. It is also the main mechanism through which takes place. Though the planet goes through natural phases of warming and cooling over millennia, the pace of global warming has increased to unprecedented levels over the past century, mainly due to burning for our society’s . Due […]
Copy link