Glossary
Beijing Action Plan
A specific plan implemented by the city of Beijing to address its severe air pollution issues, including measures like limiting car usage, promoting clean energy, and relocating polluting industries.
Example:
The Beijing Action Plan demonstrated how targeted and aggressive policies could lead to noticeable improvements in urban air quality within a relatively short period.
Catalytic Converter
A device installed in vehicle exhaust systems that converts toxic pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and unburnt hydrocarbons into less harmful substances.
Example:
The catalytic converter in your car transforms harmful exhaust gases into relatively benign compounds like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water vapor.
Clean Air Act
A comprehensive U.S. federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources, establishing National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and welfare.
Example:
The Clean Air Act has been instrumental in reducing smog, acid rain, and other forms of air pollution across the United States since its enactment.
Dry Scrubber
An air pollution control device that uses dry reagents, such as powdered lime or sodium bicarbonate, to neutralize or convert gaseous pollutants into solid byproducts.
Example:
Unlike its wet counterpart, a dry scrubber produces a dry waste product, which can simplify disposal and avoid wastewater treatment challenges.
EU's Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution
A comprehensive plan by the European Union to reduce air pollution across various sectors, including industry, agriculture, transport, and households, to improve air quality and public health.
Example:
The EU's Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution sets long-term objectives and specific targets for member states to reduce key air pollutants and their impacts.
Electrostatic Precipitator
An air pollution control device that uses an electrical charge to ionize particulate matter in exhaust gases, which are then attracted to and collected on charged plates.
Example:
Industrial facilities, especially those burning coal, often employ an electrostatic precipitator to efficiently capture fine ash and dust particles from their emissions.
Greenhouse Gases
Atmospheric gases that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, trapping heat in Earth's atmosphere and contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Example:
Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are key greenhouse gases whose increasing concentrations from human activities are driving climate change.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
A group of powerful synthetic greenhouse gases often used as refrigerants, propellants, and in foam blowing, known for their high global warming potential.
Example:
While HFCs replaced ozone-depleting substances, their significant contribution to climate change led to efforts to phase them out under agreements like the Kigali Amendment.
Kyoto Protocol
An international agreement established in 1997 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, primarily focusing on anthropogenic CO2 emissions and other major GHGs from developed countries.
Example:
The Kyoto Protocol set legally binding targets for participating nations to lower their industrial emissions, aiming to combat global warming.
Montreal Protocol
An international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of numerous ozone-depleting substances (ODS) like CFCs.
Example:
The Montreal Protocol is widely considered one of the most successful international environmental agreements, leading to a significant recovery of the ozone layer.
Paris Agreement
A global agreement adopted in 2015 that aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels through nationally determined contributions.
Example:
Under the Paris Agreement, each country sets its own climate action plan, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), to achieve the global temperature goals.
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
Extremely potent and long-lived greenhouse gases primarily generated as byproducts in industrial processes, such as aluminum smelting and semiconductor manufacturing.
Example:
The release of PFCs from industrial activities is a concern because these gases can persist in the atmosphere for thousands of years, trapping heat.
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
An extremely potent synthetic greenhouse gas used primarily as an electrical insulator in power transmission equipment and in magnesium production.
Example:
Despite its low atmospheric concentration, SF6 has a global warming potential thousands of times greater than CO2, making its containment crucial for climate mitigation.
Vapor Recovery Nozzle
A device on gasoline pumps designed to capture volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere during vehicle refueling.
Example:
Using a vapor recovery nozzle at the gas station helps prevent the release of harmful fumes that contribute to ground-level ozone and smog formation.
Wet Scrubber
An air pollution control device that uses a liquid, typically water or a chemical solution, to remove particulate matter and gaseous pollutants from industrial exhaust streams.
Example:
A coal-fired power plant might use a wet scrubber to spray a lime solution into its exhaust, effectively removing sulfur dioxide before it enters the atmosphere.