BIODEGRADABILITY
Ability of a substance to be broken down and decomposed by living organisms, either in the primary stage of decomposition(structural transformation or change in properties), or in the ultimate stage, (conversion into water, methane or carbon dioxide and mineral salts.)

BIODIVERSITY
"Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources; this includes diversity within species and of ecosystems" (Article 2 of the Convention on Biodiversity).
Biodiversity refers to all forms of life on earth and encompasses three separate levels:

. Genes, whose variations among members of one and the same species make every living being unique.
. Species, which include animals, plants, fungi and micro-organisms such as algae and bacteria,
. Ecosystems: dynamic complexes composed of the non-living environment (the biotope) and the interacting living organisms within (biocenosis)

Some ten thousand new species are described each year, but according to scientific sources, only 1.75million species of an estimated total number of 14 million have been described at present. Biodiversity raises many concerns in view of its exposure to threats from human activities. The sources of stress are many and varied. They can be physical (habitat fragmentation due to a growing scarcity of land and the modification of plant cover, overexploitation of natural resources, climate change, etc.); chemical (toxic contamination, acidification, oil spills or other types of pollution), or biological (alterations in the dynamics of population growth and the structure of species due to the introduction of exotic species or the commercial exploitation of wild species, concentration of modern agriculture on a relatively small number of plant and animal varieties, etc). Experts have calculated that the current rate of extinctions is 1,000 to 10,000 times faster than in the past (the average "lifespan" for most mammals is considered about 1 million years). By current estimates, species are disappearing from the face of the earth at the rate of one species every 15 minutes.

The key challenges are to maintain and reestablish the diversity and integrity of ecosystems, species, and genetic resources, and to ensure sustainable utilization of the existing biodiversity, i.e. in ways and at a pace that will not impoverish or deplete this biodiversity in the long term. It is thus essential to give habitats and species stronger protection, to act against exploitation and illegal trade, to integrate concern for biodiversity in economic and industry policies and corporate practices, and to grow public awareness.

BIOFUELS
Fuels obtained from biomass. Biofuels for the transport sector are typically derived from oil-producing plants (rapeseed, sunflower, soybean), sucrose-producing plants(sugar beet, sugar cane), and cereal crops (wheat, corn). They contribute to controlling greenhouse gases through the process of photosynthesis which captures the carbon dioxide in the air.

BIOMASS
Animal or plant matter of land or marine origin. Its most traditional form is wood used for heating or for cooking food. At present, wood also serves to obtain steam and electricity, and biomass is used to produce biofuels.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Glacier melt, storms, hurricanes, floods, droughts, heat waves- all these extreme phenomena are considered signs of climate change. In the last 15 years, the cause and development of these changes have raised many questions within the international scientific community. Despite the uncertainties that remain, the hypothesis most frequently endorsed by specialists establishes a relationship between the increase in green house gas emissions as a result of human activity and the average rate of global warming (which is not uniform, however). The average global temperature increased by 0.6 o C during the 20th century while the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere simultaneously increased from 280 to 370 ppm (parts per million). If these emissions are not controlled in future, the experts of the IPCC hold it possible that during the 21st century, global temperatures may increase by another 1.5 to 6 o C, sea levels may rise 10 to 80 cm, and extreme climate events (droughts, floods) may become more freque nt. This would result in serious social and ecological impacts, especially in developing countries, which are most exposed to these phenomena. The international community has thus decided to apply the Precautionary Principle and implement measures to control greenhouse gas emissions. This objective is notably pursued through the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty signed in 1997 and in the process of ratification by the signatories.

CO2 (Carbon dioxide)
The second most prevalent greenhouse gas after water vapour, and first among the six gases addressed by the Kyoto Protocol to become subject to regulatory reduction under the provisions of the European Directive of October 13, 2003.

ECO
Prefix from the Greek word oikos, meaning house or habitat.

ECODESIGN
A comprehensive design process that seeks to assess all the potential impacts of a product to develop the best design solutions, i.e. that takes into account the utility of a product (its functionalities) and the "cost " (its impacts) associated with that utility. Ecodesign involves considering the product as a multi-component system(the object, packaging, replacement parts, etc.), applying a multi-criteria environmental approach( energy consumption, discharge into water and air, waste production, etc.), and taking into account the product life cycle(" from cradle to grave", or "from cradle to cradle"). For a company, ecodesign hold many advantages with more than strictly environmental dimensions. It can notable be a driver for innovation, giving the opportunity to create a new offering for nascent demand (environmental quality). It can also serve to optimize material flows and energy flows.

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT
Index proposed by WWF (World Wildlife Fund) to measure the impact of population growth and human activities on the environment (production, waste, agricultural practices, consumption, etc.). The ecological footprint provides an assessment of the pressure from human activities on the world's ecosystems, per surface unit and per inhabitant (resources taken out, emissions and waste put in). These "footprints" are established on the basis of data published by UN agencies and by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). They have notably revealed strong disparities between developed and developing countries- the footprint of an American is six times larger than the footprint of an Asian, and nine times larger than the footprint of an African. They have also shown developed countries to be very high consumers of resources (water, energy, etc.) The impact of different means of transport and consumption patterns can also be compared with this method.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Rational use of energy. Within the context of sustainable development, it means improving energy performance and so reducing energy consumption as much as practicable for the same use or function. At household level, the focus is principally on improving home design, means of transport, and electrical appliances. At industry level, improved energy efficiency involves equipment, manufacturing processes, and transportation or transmission as well as distribution networks. Since 90 % of the energy consumed in the world is derived from fossil fuels and so leads to emissions of carbon dioxide, improvement of energy efficiency is often presented as one of the best ways of fighting climate change.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
Energy derived from the natural heat in the earth's depths, or more precisely, from hot water and steam recovered from reservoirs heated by a natural heat source. A distinction is made between two types of geothermal systems : high-temperature systems from which dry or wet steam can be sued to generate electricity, and low-temperature systems (like hot springs0 from which hot water can be used directly for heating homes and other applications.

GREENHOUSE EFFECT
A natural phenomenon that "locks in" part of the energy received from the sun and maintains the earth's average temperature at + 15 o C. Greenhouse gases produced by human activity have been accumulating in the atmosphere in concentrations that disturb the thermal balance. This disturbance is believed to contribute to climate change.

HYDROGEN FUEL CELL
Hydrogen fuel cells continuously convert a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. In the electro-chemical reaction involved, the only by - product is a liquid-and-vapour mix of water. An important advantage of the hydrogen fuel cell system is the wide range of supply sources: hydrocarbon reforming, syngas from biomass, coal, petroleum residue, even water electrolysis using all forms of electricity (wind power, hydro power, nuclear power, etc.). In the short term this technology will expectedly be used most rapidly for portable applications, and then for small to medium-power stationary applications. At present, general use for transportation is still hindered by economic and logistic obstacles.

KYOTO PROTOCOL
In 1992, the United Nations Frame work convention on Climate Change was signed by 180 countries at the Earth Summit in Rio. On 11 December 1997, the Protocol to this convention was signed in Kyoto, Japan. The countries that have signed the Kyoto Protocol accept legally binding commitments, quantified in CO2 equivalents, to limit or reduce their GHG emissions(six gases). There are specific targets for industrialized countries, the biggest GHG emitters. In terms of their collective total, the objective is a reduction of 5 % minimum by 2008-2012, based on average emissions in the reference year 1990. Maximum target levels are set for each country, and the individual governments are at report verifiable progress towards these objectives as of 2005. The provisions of the Protocol include two "flexible mechanisms": emissions trading among industrialized countries(Joint Implementation of JI), and credits for the funding of projects to reduce or to prevent emissions in developing countries ( Clean Development Mechanisms or CDM)


It has taken some time for the Kyoto Protocol to come into force. The requisite was ratification by 55 countries accounting for at least 55 % of total emissions among industrialized nations. In September 2004, the 125 states that ratified the Protocol still accounted for only 44.2 % of global emissions. As the United States had decided not to ratify the Protocol, hope focused on Russia, which by itself accounted for 17.4 % of global emissions in 1990 and was therefore key to the coming into effect of the Protocol. Now that is done. After approval from the Russian Council of Ministers on 30 September 2004, followed by ratification by the Douma on 22 October 2004, the Kyoto Protocol will come into effect on 16 February 2005.

OZONE
Gas whose molecules contain three atoms of oxygen (O3). A distinction must be made between stratospheric ozone. Stratospheric ozone is found in the higher regions of the atmosphere, where it forms a protective barrier that absorbs a part of solar radiation. This is commonly called the ozone layer, which is destroyed by pollution from human activities. The famous "hole in the ozone layer" refers to any point where the layer of stratospheric ozone has become very thin. Tropospheric ozone ( often referred to as ground - level ozone) is found in the lower regions of the atmosphere and on the earth's surface. It is harmful because its oxidizing properties affect human health and plant life; it also degrades various materials. Tropospheric ozone is defined as a "secondary pollutant" because it results from the interaction of two primary pollutants, NOx and VOC, in the presence of ultraviolet rays. Cities thus often have peaks of ozone pollution when the weather is hot and sunny.

PHOTOVOLTAIC TECHNOLOGY
Technology permitting the conversion of sunlight into electricity by suing light- sensitive semi-conductor cells.

RENEWABLE ENERGIES
Energies from non-depletable natural sources. Often called "renewables".

SOLAR ENERGY
There are currently two types of solar energy systems: solar collectors that transform sunlight into heat, and photovoltaic panels that transform sunlight into electricity.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
This term entered the mainstream through the Brundtland Report in 1987, which provided the now commonly accepted definition of sustainable development: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". The Earth Summit in Rio established the three dimensions of sustainable development as being environmental but also economic and social, by incorporating aims for a new balance and greater equity in and between generations as well as countries, notably in the relations between North and South.

WATER RESOURCES
As 97 % of all water on earth is salt water and 2 % is locked up in ice sheets, only about 1 % is directly usable fresh water. Moreover, water quality as well as the quality of air, streams, soil, aquifers or other sources holding water have become more and more deteriorated through the development of industry , world population growth, poorly treated or untreated domestic sewage, salt build-up from irrigation, and pollution from industrial or agricultural sources (nitrates, pesticides). In view of the scarcity of this vital resources and its exposure to these various threats, water management has become one of the key concerns of the 21st century. With increasing demand and competition for water for household, commercial, industrial and agricultural needs, and with the unequal distribution of drinking water linked to climate variables, strong tensions are already appearing. According to a United Nations study, within fifty years, water may become a more precious commodity than oil.

WIND SYSTEM
System that captures kinetic energy from the wind and converts it to electrical energy.