{"id":309,"date":"2026-05-27T11:07:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T11:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/sustainabilityprinciplesandpractice\/?page_id=309"},"modified":"2026-05-27T11:07:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T11:07:12","slug":"climate","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/sustainabilityprinciplesandpractice\/climate\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-69934ac2 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-base-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/sustainabilityprinciplesandpractice\/flashcards\/\" style=\"background-color:#409750;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Back to all Flashcards<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<!-- Swiper -->\n<div class=\"swiper mySwiper\">\n    <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>adaptation<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Adjustment to a new or changing environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>albedo<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>A measure of a surface\u2019s ability to reflect sunlight, often expressed as a decimal fraction on a scale of 0 to 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>anthropogenic<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Resulting from human activities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>cap and trade<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>The buying and selling of permits to pollute; also known as emissions trading.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Technology which removes carbon dioxide from industrial processes and stores it underground or under the ocean floor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>The climate impact of a greenhouse gas expressed as the tons of carbon dioxide that would result in the same impact; determined by multiplying the tons of the given gas by its global warming potential.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>carbon neutral<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Living or doing business in a way which results in no net carbon emissions; also known as climate neutral.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>carbon sequestration<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>The removal and storage of carbon in a carbon sink through biological or physical processes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>climate change<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>A significant change in measures of climate such as temperature, precipitation, and wind lasting for an extended period of time; can result from natural processes or human activity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>climate commitment<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>The climate change that would still occur even with no further human influence, resulting from greenhouse gases already emitted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>climate neutral<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Living or doing business in a way which results in no net climate impact; also known as climate neutral.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>diatomic<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>A molecule composed of two atoms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>emissions trading<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>The buying and selling of permits to pollute; also known as cap and trade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>feedback<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>A circular mechanism in which the result of an initial process triggers changes in a second process that in turn influence the initial process. An interaction which increases or amplifies the original change is called positive feedback; an interaction which decreases the original change is called negative feedback.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>global warming<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>An average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth&#8217;s surface.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>global warming potential (GWP)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>A ratio that indicates the greenhouse effect of a particular gas relative to that of the same quantity of carbon dioxide over a fixed period of time, usually 100 years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>greenhouse effect<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>The warming of a planet\u2019s surface as a result of certain atmospheric gases which absorb some of the infrared solar radiation that would otherwise escape into space and re-radiate this energy back to the surface.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>greenhouse gas<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>A gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere; greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>Milankovitch cycles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Regularly recurring changes in the tilt of Earth\u2019s axis, precession of Earth\u2019s axis, and eccentricity of Earth\u2019s orbit which influence cycles of cooling and warming climate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>mitigation<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Measures undertaken to minimize the extent or impact of a problem such as climate change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>net zero carbon<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>The condition in which the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere equals the amount that is removed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>offset<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>A voluntary payment made to reduce pollution or emissions at one location in order to compensate for an equal quantity of pollution or emissions at another location.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>ppb  <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Parts per billion; the number of parts of a chemical found in one billion parts of a particular gas, liquid, or solid mixture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>ppm  <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>Parts per million; the number of parts of a chemical found in one million parts of a particular gas, liquid, or solid mixture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>proxy<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>An indicator which stands in for another measurement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <!-- Swiper Slide -->\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <!-- Flashcard -->\n           <button class=\"flip-card\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n            <div class=\"flip-card-inner\">\n              <div class=\"flip-card-front\"><p><p>sequestration<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n              <div class=\"flip-card-back\"><p>The removal and storage of an element such as carbon in a sink through 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