APES Unit 9 Vocab

Carbon sequestration

An approach to stabilizing greenhouse gases by removing CO2 from the atmosphere

CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons)

greenhouse gas which occurs in the atmosphere by human production of chlorine, fluorine, carbon

Endangered species

a species in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range

Global climate change

Changes in the average weather occurring in an area over a period of years or decades

Global warming

the warming of Earth’s oceans, landmasses, and atmosphere

Greenhouse effect

Absorption of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases and radiation of the energy back to earth

Greenhouse gases

Gases in the earth’s atmosphere that trap heat near the surface

Greenhouse warming potential

An estimate of how much a molecule of any compound can contribute to global warming over 100 years relative to a molecule of CO2

Invasive species

a species that spreads rapidly across large areas and causes harm

Kyoto protocol

An international agreement that sets a goal for global emissions of greenhouse gases from all industrialized countries to be reduced by 5.2% below their 1990 levels by 2012

Negative feedback loop

A feedback loop in which a system responds to a change by returning to its original state or by decreasing the rate at which the change is occurring

Paris Climate Agreement

a pledge by 195 countries to keep global warming less than 2 C above pre-industrial levels (Paris Climate Accord)

Positive feedback loop

a feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified