Green Economy terminology and definitions
Green Economy - A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcity
Green Job - A green job is where someone is employed in a role that directly contributes to, or indirectly supports, the achievement of net zero emissions targets and / or other environmental goals such as nature restoration and mitigation against climate change risks.
Green Skills - Green skills are the broad range of technical skills, knowledge, behaviours and capabilities required to tackle the climate and / or nature emergencies.
Low carbon or decarbonised economy - A low carbon, or decarbonised economy, is an economy that causes low levels of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly when compared with our current economy which emits high levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. A low carbon economy is one that has decoupled delivery of goods and services from the burning of fossil fuels.
Net Zero - Net Zero means the amount of greenhouse gas emissions going into the atmosphere are balanced by the same amount of greenhouse gases being removed from the atmosphere.
Manchester have set ambitious targets for the whole city to be net zero by 2038.
Zero carbon economy - A zero-carbon economy is one where emissions from the commercial and industrial sector are reduced to zero while the economy thrives
Clean Growth - Clean growth means growing our national income while cutting greenhouse gas emissions
Carbon-negative careers - A carbon-negative career is one where the job has a net effect of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere rather than adding to it.
Carbon Literacy - Carbon Literacy is a term used to describe an awareness of climate change, and the climate impacts of humankind’s everyday actions.
It is now mostly associated with The Carbon Literacy Project where people undertake training to develop ‘an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis.’
Sustainability - Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.