Coalbed Methane
Natural gas generated and trapped in coal seams

Coal Gas
A mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methane, produced by distilling coal, that was once used for heating and lighting

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
Any method that increases oil production by using techniques or materials that are not part of normal presure maintenance or water flooding operations

Conventional Gas
Natural gas that can be produced using recovery techniques normally employed by the oil and gas industry

GHG
Greenhouse Gases – Gases such as CO2 that trap heat in the atmosphere

Heavy Oil
Dense, viscous oil, with a high proportion of bitumen, which is difficult to extract with conventional techniques and is more costly to transport and refine

UNFCC
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, signed in 1992

Kyoto Protocol
International agreement under which industrialized countries commit to reduce GHG emissions

Annex 1
Developed Countries with emission reduction commitments, as defined in the Kyoto Protocol

Non-Annex 2
Developing countries without emission reduction commitments, as defined in the Kyoto Protocol

Emission Reductions
Units ascribed to reduction of greenhouse gas related emissions

Voluntary market
Market for emission reductions purchased by organizations wishing to offset their carbon footprint on a voluntary basis

VER
Verified Emission Reduction

Compliance market
Market for emission reductions purchased by organizations with Kyoto targets

CDM
Clean Development Mechanism – The provision of the Kyoto Protocol that governs project-level carbon credit transactions between developed (Annex1) and developing (non-annex 1) countries

CER
Certified Emission Reduction – Carbon credits created by Clean Development Mechanism projects: 1 CER corresponds to 1 tonne of CO2 emission reduction

JI
Joint Implementation – The provision of the Kyoto Protocol that governs project-level emission reduction transactions between entities located in Annex 1 Countries

ERUs
Emission Reduction Units – The output of Joint Implementation projects. 1 ERU corresponds to 1 tonne of CO2 emissions reductions

EU ETS
European Union Emissions Trading Scheme – A market based ‘cap and trade’ system for GHG adopted by European Union member states in January 2005 in advance of their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol

EUA
European Allowance – Allowance unit issued to installations covered by the EU ETS

CO2e
Carbon dioxide equivalent – The unit used in the Kyoto Protocol

ERPA
Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement

VERPA
Verified Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement