E
Ecosystem
Dynamic set of living organisms made up of plants, animals and microorganisms, all interacting among themselves and with their environment.
Ecosystemic services
Knowledge of ecosystem functions and services that human beings obtain from them.
Ecotoxicity
Property of a substance to cause harmful effects on living organisms or their physiology (biochemical effect) and their functional organization (ecosystem).
Emission credit exchange
The Kyoto Protocol sets up a mechanism via which Parties who have committed themselves to limiting their emissions can participate in emission credit exchanges or trading with other Parties. This provision aims at heightening flexibility and ensuring enhanced economic efficiency for developed countries constrained by the legal obligation to reduce their emissions within the scope of the Kyoto Protocol.
Emission quotas of greenhouse effect gases
These quotas correspond to the authorization to emit a metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent during a given period. In particular, they are assigned to operators of energy facilities in application of the Kyoto Protocol.
Emission Trading Scheme (ETS)
European system for the exchange of GHG emission quotas.
Enrichment
Product added to soil to improve its physical qualities and correct its acidity.
Environmental Management System (EMS)
System that an organization can use to implement its environmental policy and achieve associated objectives to control environmental impacts significant of its activities and to respect regulatory requirements.
Epe
Entreprises for the environment (association).
European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP)
Founded in 1997, Euro NCAP is an international association under Belgian law. It provides consumers with an independent assessment of the safety performance of the majority of the most popular cars in Europe. Through its stringent crash tests, Euro NCAP has rapidly become a catalyst for significant safety improvements in new cars.
Eutrophication
The enrichment of rivers and lakes in nutrients, principally phosphorus and nitrogen, which form a fertilizer for aquatic plants. It is seen in the excessive proliferation of vegetable life which, through nocturnal respiration and decomposition on death, causes a significant reduction in oxygen content. This causes, inter alia, reduced animal and vegetable diversity and disruption in the usage of water (drinking water supply and leisure activities).
F
Factor 4
In France, the objective of dividing national greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 by a factor of 4 by 2050.
Facts (Field Action Science)
Initiative started by the Veolia Environnement Institute in May 2007 aimed at distributing good practices in an international publication, FACTS Reports. The subjects discussed deal with development, humanitarian aid, health, education, and the environment.
Fossil energy
Energy produced from rock originating from the fossilisation of living beings: oil, natural gas, coal. Their combustion creates greenhouse effect gases.
Fundamental values of Veolia Environnement
Derived from the « ethics, conviction and responsibility » program; commitment towards sustainable development, respect of regulations in force in the countries in which we work, loyalty to clients and consumers, social responsibility, risk control.
G
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
A private, multistakeholder US initiative set up by a Boston-based NGO, CERES, and the UNEP. It offers sustainability reporting guidelines that take into account environmental, social and economic performance.
Green certificate
The producer is issued with a green certificate for each MWh of electricity generated from renewable energy (hydroelectric, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, biogas, wood energy). It is then sent to the consumer to certify the source of its electricity. In France, OBSERV'ER is the institute that issues green certificates.
Green register
City planning document used to produce maps of the citie's green spaces.
Greenhouse gases (GHG)
Gas absorbing some solar rays and responsible for climate change (CO2, CH4, N2O, water vapour).
H
Heat insulation
Application of a product to prevent or reduce the transmission of heat.
Hotspot
The NGO Conservation International has identified 34 biodiversity hotspots, which are the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on Earth.
Household wastewater
Refers to soapy residual water. It includes wastewater from showers, dishwashers and washing machines.
I
IFRS Standards (International Financial Reporting Standards)
International accounting standards adopted by companies quoted in the European Union.
ILO
International labor organization.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
An organization set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
J
Joint implementation (JI)
Flexibility mechanism defined by the Kyoto protocol, similar to the CDM. It enables developed countries to invest in other developed countries, particularly in countries with a transition economy in Central and Eastern Europe, and to obtain carbon emission credits that they can use to respect their commitments in terms of emission reductions.
Joint Implementation (JI)
Joint Implementation is similar to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) but the project must be carried out in an industrialized or former Eastern bloc country.
K
Kyoto mechanisms
Flexibility mechanisms planned in addition to domestic measures under the Kyoto Protocol to guide signatories in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.The mechanisms consist of emission permits, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI).
Kyoto protocol
Protocol that came into force in 2005 in extension of the United Nations outline agreement on climate change. In particular, it fixes limiting values for greenhouse gas emissions in industrial countries.