Jargon is hard to decipher. And when it comes to climate science, it’s rife. So, we’ve teamed up with top climate experts to explain the meaning, and the context, of some of the most crucial terminology.
The Conversation’s new quick climate dictionary explains the meaning of everything from blue carbon to carbon footprint. It will help you understand the difference between net zero and carbon neutral, and make obscure concepts like "loss and damage" more relevant and digestible.
As new terms become more mainstream, we’ll endeavour to translate them for you in this ongoing series. More than a glossary, each video is a bitesize explainer, using simple language that’s accessible to all.
To begin with, Mark Maslin, professor of earth systems science at UCL, explains that net zero is the point at which "no extra greenhouse gases are accumulating in the atmosphere". As he says: "That’s really important for limiting climate change."
Also, I put my wellies on and head to the very muddy foreshore to explain the meaning of blue carbon - the carbon that can be absorbed and stored by plants in the ocean. Spoiler alert: it’s in more than just pretty mangroves.
