Glossary

If you are new to carbon offsets, or would like some more information on climate change and sustainable development, then this glossary of terms will help you:

• Amazon Rainforest - Known for many things ranging from it's incredible diversity (it hosts one-third of the planet's biodiversity) to being the world's most important carbon "sink," Sustainable Carbon continues to help protect this unique ecosystem by introducing renewable biomass and carbon finance in industries that use native Amazonian timber as fuel in their industrial processes.
  
• Atlantic Forest - Originally covering over 300 million acres, today only 7% of this forest remains intact, and only 2% is protected by ecological reserves. By some estimates, this forest has more biodiversity than the larger, more well-known forest - the Amazon Rainforest.
  
• Caatinga Biome - A critically-endangered ecosystem in the northeast region of Brazil. A semi-arid scrub forest with immense biodiversity, it is extremely rich in natural resources. It is one of the biomes that Sustainable Carbon conserves through our projects.
  
• Carbon Credits/Offsets - Carbon credits are certificates that represent a reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Projects that prevent or remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere generate these credits. They are then sold to companies or individuals to "offset" any unavoidable emissions for which they are responsible. One carbon credit is the equivalent to a preventing one ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) from entering the atmosphere. 
• Cerrado Biome - One of Brazil's most important ecosystems that is under severe threat of deforestation. Called Brazil´s "savanna," it is the largest woodland area of South America and one of the biomes that Sustainable Carbon conserves through our projects. 
  
• IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the most authoritative source of climate change information. Under the direction of the United National Environmental Programme (UNEP), this Panel provides advice to political and business leaders alike.
  
• National CO2 Emissions - This resource shows, by country: population growth, birth rate, death rate, gross CO2 emissions and CO2 emissions per capita.
  
• Triple Bottom Line - This is the concept that businesses can and are more profitable when they take steps to build environmental and social considerations into their business. It is also called Planet, People and Profit. 
  
• VCS Standard - The most widely-used "carbon accounting" standard in the voluntary carbon market. Sustainable Carbon projects for the voluntary market use this standard.