Glossary | Climate Lexicon N

carbon-connect AG Climate Glossary with common technical terms, abbreviations and explanations on the topics of the environment, climate protection and CO2 compensation.

NDCs / Nationally Determined Contributions

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are climate pledges made by countries under the Paris Agreement to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and address the impacts of climate change. NDCs are submitted voluntarily by countries, and each NDC outlines the country's goals and actions to reduce emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These commitments are reviewed and updated every five years to ensure that countries are on track to meet their goals and keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius.

net zero

Net zero refers to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are offset by simultaneously avoiding or reducing emissions and removing greenhouse gases. "Net zero" in short means climate neutrality. The term is often used in the context of climate change mitigation and refers to the goal of reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero by the end of the century.
This means that all emissions resulting from human activities must be offset by emission reductions and abatements, and by the removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This can be achieved through measures such as increasing energy efficiency, expanding renewable energy, reducing land use change, reforestation, and developing technologies to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
Net zero emissions are also an important goal of the Paris Agreement, which states that the global community should make efforts to limit global warming to "well below 2 degrees Celsius" compared to pre-industrial levels and "strive to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius."

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), CFCs and methane (CH4) are some of the most long-lasting and most harmful greenhouse gases.

Non-Annex B Countries

"Non-Annex B countries" refers to countries that are not listed in Annex B of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Annex B countries are industrialized nations that have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, a legally binding agreement under the UNFCCC. Non-Annex B countries, often referred to as "developing countries," do not have legally binding emissions reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol.