Demystifying The Climate Change Vocab: A Beginner's Guide(2/3)
Raise your hand if you've been to an event listening to a Climate activist speak and you get lost with the terminologies used. Raised? If so, then then this article series is for you.
Welcome guys! to the 2nd part of this Demystifying series, a 3-part series simplifying complex Climate Change terms commonly used on a global scale. Without further ado, let’s continue from the last article.
6. Renewables/ Renewable Energy
Having something renewable means that it could be used and reused without any form of depletion. In the Climate vocab, renewables (short for renewable energy) are forms of energy obtained from natural sources and can be self-replenished. Examples of renewable energy are energy retrieved from the sun (Solar Energy), from water (Hydro Energy), from the force of winds (Wind energy), from the earth’s crust (Geothermal energy), etc. These are sustainable options as compared to energy obtained from fossil fuels which cannot be replenished and get depleted with the growing energy demand around the world.
7. Circular Economy
A circular economy has become a growing buzzword around the Product Design and Supply Chain sectors in the corporate world. Circular Economy is simply a pathway in production that takes into account the reuse and reduction of waste from product creation to its completion. In a circular economy during the production of materials or any goods, the 5Rs are taken into consideration; How can the product be Reused, Repaired, Recycled, and Refurbished to Reduce waste? All these are thought out to ultimately minimize waste in the production of the goods. Companies or organizations that follow these principles are said to practice a Circular Economy.
8. Net Zero
Several countries like Finland and even India have ambitious climate and sustainability goals targeting Net Zero, but what does that mean? From the last article (Read here), we learned the definitions of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the major contributors to their increase. Reaching a Net zero state simply means achieving a balance between the amount of Greenhouse Gas emissions produced and the amount that gets removed from the atmosphere, all to reduce global temperatures and, eventually tackle Climate Change.
9. Climate Finance and Climate Action
Climate Finance are finances set aside for mitigating the impacts of Climate Change. It is money, funds, and investments dedicated to projects and initiatives that combat Climate Change. Climate Actions, on the other hand, are strategies, initiatives, and projects that aim to mitigate climate change. In summary, one can say Climate Finances dedicate funds exclusively to Climate Actions.
10. The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement is cited as one of the most important climate treaties that has been a constant point of reference globally. It was preceded by other accords such as the Kyoto Protocol, the Copenhagen Accord, and the Durban Conference. The treaty was formed in 2015 during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). After intense negotiations, about 195 countries signed this, pledging to keep the average global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions in their respective countries. This agreement has remained a symbol of global cooperation in addressing Climate Change while emphasizing the need for collective action and transparency in the journey towards achieving Net Zero targets.
See you next month for the 3rd part of this series. I hope these few tips elevate your climate vocabulary for your next event or conference.
Remember, I am rooting for you.
Monica Fatogun
The Nature Nymph
Thank you Monica for this article. It has really cleared the meanings of so many common words used today on climate change and sustainability.
Thank you once again and keep enlightening us on the latest.