Dictionary

Adaptive capability is generally defined as the ability of a system, whether an individual capacity applies to various changes or disturbances (e.g. environmental changes, environmental threats, economic shocks, other adverse conditions), to adapt to them or their negative impacts.

In other words, adaptive capacity is the ability to manage change and maintain its functioning so that the system not only minimizes damage, but also manages to use the situation to its advantage. This term is often used mainly in the context of climate change, environmental risks and disasters.

Adaptive capacity is influenced by factors such as:

• Availability of financial and human resources (knowledge, skills, experience, people skills)
• Level of technology and infrastructure supporting adaptation
• Effective information systems and knowledge dissemination mechanisms
• Quality institutions, organizations and governance
• Social capital (strong social networks, trust, solidarity)
• Political will, supporting policies and legal frameworks

A developed adaptive capacity of a community or region is to ensure better management of problems, recovery from unexpected events and its sustainable further development. Conversely, low adaptive capacity makes people or ecosystems more vulnerable to risks and have difficulty coping with various changes.

The adaptation or preparation of natural or human systems to a new or changing environment that mitigates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities.

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A suspension of solid or liquid particles in the air with a typical size from a few nanometers to 10 μm that lingers in the atmosphere at least several hours. The term aerosol, which includes both particles and suspended gas, is often used in the plural in this report to mean aerosol particles. Aerosols can be either natural or  anthropogenic  origin. Aerosols can affect climate in several ways: through interactions that scatter and/or absorb radiation, and through interactions with cloud microphysics and other cloud properties, or when deposited on snow- or ice-covered surfaces, changing their albedo and contributing to climate   reverse bonds. Atmospheric aerosols, whether natural or anthropogenic, originate from two different pathways: emissions of primary particulate matter (PM) and formation of secondary PM from gaseous precursors . Most aerosols are of natural origin. Some scientists use group designations that refer to chemical composition, namely: sea salt, organic carbon, black carbon (BC), mineral species (mainly desert dust), sulfate, nitrate and ammonium. However, these labels are imperfect because aerosols bind particles together to form complex mixtures.

The "Anthropocene" is a proposed new geological epoch resulting from significant human changes in the structure and functioning of the Earth system, including climate  system . The proposed new epoch, which was originally proposed in the Earth system scientific community in 2000, is undergoing a process of formalization within the geological community based on stratigraphic evidence , that human activities have changed the Earth System to such an extent that they form geological deposits with a distinct signature. from those of Holocene, and which will remain in the geological record. Both the stratigraphic approach and the Earth system approach to defining the Anthropocene consider the mid-20th century as the most appropriate starting date, although others have been proposed and continue to be debated. The concept of the Anthropocene has been taken up by various disciplines and the public to highlight the substantial impact humans have had on the state, dynamics, and future of the Earth system.

Emissions greenhouse gases (GHG), precursors GHG a aerosols caused by human activity. These activities include burning fossil fuels ,  deforestation , land use a changes in land use (LULUC), animal production, fertilization, waste management and industrial processes.

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The gaseous envelope surrounding the Earth, divided into five layers - the troposphere , which contains half of the earth's atmosphere,   the stratosphere , the mesosphere, the thermosphere and the exosphere, which is the outer boundary of the atmosphere. The dry atmosphere consists almost entirely of nitrogen (78.1% volumetric mixing ratio) and oxygen (20.9% volumetric mixing ratio), along with many trace gases such as argon (0.93% volumetric mixing ratio), helium, and radiatively active greenhouse gases gases (GHG) , such as carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) (volumetric mixing ratio 0.04 %) a ozone (O ₃ ) . In addition, the atmosphere contains water vapor GHG (H ₂O), the amounts of which are highly variable, but typically around 1 % volume mixing ratio. The atmosphere also contains clouds and aerosols .

Operationally defined species and aerosols based on the measurement of light absorption and chemical reactivity and/or thermal stability. It is sometimes referred to as soot. BC is mostly produced by incomplete combustion fossil fuels,  biofuels  a biomass , but also occurs naturally. In the atmosphere only a few days or weeks remain. It is the most strongly light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM) and has a warming effect by absorbing heat into the atmosphere and reducing albedo. when is deposited on snow or ice.

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A metric measure used to compare emissions from different greenhouse gases based on their global warming potential (GWP). Carbon dioxide equivalents are commonly expressed as "million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MMTCO ₂ Eq). The carbon dioxide equivalent for a gas is derived by multiplying the tonnes of gas by the relevant GWP.

MMTCO ₂ Eq = (million metric tons of gas) * (GWP of gas)

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Powerful synthetic greenhouse gases such as hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur fluoride that are emitted from various industrial processes. F-gases are sometimes used as substitutes for stratospheric ozone-depleting substances (eg, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and halons) and are often used in coolants, foams, fire extinguishers, solvents, pesticides, and aerosol propellants. These gases are emitted in small amounts compared to carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), methane (CH ₄ ) or nitrous oxide (N ₂ O), but because they are strong greenhouse gases, they are sometimes referred to as gases with a high global warming potential. (High GWP gases).

Compounds containing only hydrogen, fluorine and carbon atoms. They were introduced as alternatives to ozone depleting substances that serve many industrial, commercial and personal needs. HFCs are emitted as by-products of industrial processes and are also used in manufacturing. They do not significantly deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, but are potent greenhouse gases with global warming potentials ranging from 140 (HFC-152a) to 11,700 (HFC-23).

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A global, three-dimensional computer model of the climate system that can be used to simulate human-induced climate change. GCMs are very complex and represent the effects of such factors as the reflective and absorptive properties of atmospheric water vapor, greenhouse gas concentrations, cloud cover, annual and diurnal solar heating, ocean temperatures, and ice boundaries. The latest GCMs include global representations of the atmosphere, oceans, and land surface.

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Estimated global mean near-surface air temperatures over land and sea ice a sea surface temperatures over ice-free ocean regions, with changes usually expressed as deviations from the value specified  reference period . The near-surface air temperature over land and oceans is also used in estimating GMST changes.

Compounds containing either chlorine, bromine or fluorine and carbon. Such compounds can act as potent greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Halogenated hydrocarbons containing chlorine and bromine are also involved in ozone depletion.

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The process of evaporation, vertical and horizontal vapor transport, condensation, precipitation and water flow from the continents to the oceans. It is a major factor in determining climate through its influence on surface vegetation, cloud cover, snow and ice, and soil moisture. The hydrologic cycle is responsible for 25 to 30 percent of the midlatitude heat transport from equatorial to polar regions.

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Compounds containing hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine and carbon atoms. Although the substances deplete the ozone layer, they are less effective at destroying stratospheric ozone than chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). They were introduced as temporary replacements for CFCs and are also greenhouse gases.

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Colorless gas soluble in alcohol and ether, slightly soluble in water. A very strong greenhouse gas used primarily in electrical transmission and distribution systems and as a dielectric in electronics. SF Global Warming Potential ₆ is 22,800. This GWP comes from the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4).

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In Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, equilibrium climate sensitivity refers to the equilibrium change in global mean surface temperature following a doubling of atmospheric (equivalent) CO2 _.concentration. More generally, equilibrium climate sensitivity refers to the equilibrium change in surface air temperature following a unit change in radiative forcing (degrees Celsius, per watt per square meter, (C/Wm-2). One method of evaluating equilibrium climate sensitivity requires very long simulations with the Coupled General Circulation Models (climate model). The effective climate sensitivity is a measure that circumvents this requirement. It is a measure of the strength of the feedbacks at a particular time and may vary with the forcing history and state. climate.

The concept of a state in which human activity results in no net effect on climate system . Achieving such a state would require balancing residual emissions with emissions removals (carbon dioxide), as well as taking into account the regional or local biogeophysical effects of human activity, which for example affect the surface   albedo or local climate . See also Net zero CO emissions ₂ .

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Kyoto Protocol to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international treaty adopted in December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan at the third session of the Conference of the contracting parties (COP3) UNFCCC. In addition to those included in the UNFCCC, it contains legally binding commitments. Countries included in Annex B of the protocol (mostly OECD countries and countries with economies in transition) have agreed to reduce emissions of anthropogenic  greenhouse gases (GHG) ( carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) , methane (CH ₄ ) , nitrous oxide (N ₂ ABOUT ), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulfur fluoride (SF ₆ )) in the first binding period (2008-2012) by at least 5 % below the level of 1990. The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on February 16, 2005, and in May 2018 it had 192 contracting parties (191 states and the European Union). A second commitment period was agreed in December 2012 at COP18, known as the Doha Addendum to the Kyoto Protocol, in which a new set of parties pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 18 % compared to 1990 levels between 2013 and 2020. However, as of May 2018, the Doha Amendment has not received enough ratifications to enter into force