Global Air Quality Policies for Ozone Depletion and Climate Change

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to global air quality, ozone depletion, climate change, and associated policies.

Ozone Depletion

Refers to the thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer, leading to a loss of Earth's protection from UV radiation.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Primary ozone depleters that break down in UV light, releasing chlorine which destroys ozone molecules.

Montreal Protocol

International treaty signed in 1987, aimed at phasing out substances that deplete the ozone layer.

Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)

A value assigned to ozone depleters to indicate their impact on ozone layer depletion.

Excise Tax

A tax imposed to discourage the production of ozone-depleting substances by raising their price.

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to climate change; major GHG includes carbon dioxide (CO2).

Kyoto Protocol

An international agreement that sets binding obligations on industrialized countries to reduce GHG emissions.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

An international treaty aimed to address climate change and its impacts.

Negative Externality

A cost suffered by a third party as a result of an economic transaction; in this context, the release of CO2 from electricity production.

Carbon Tax

A tax based on the carbon content of fuels, intended to reduce CO2 emissions.

Marketable Allowance System

A system where allowances for emissions can be traded among businesses to promote reduction of GHGs.

Interim Multilateral Fund

Established to assist developing nations in the transition to CFC replacement technologies.

Phaseout Schedule

A timeline established to gradually reduce the use and production of ozone-depleting substances.

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

A measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide.

Demand Curve

A graph showing the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity demanded.