| ABC |
Asian Brown Cloud |
| AEPC |
African Environmental Protection Commission |
| AEPS |
Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy |
| AEWA |
African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement |
| AIDS |
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome |
| ALGAS |
Asia Least Cost Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategies |
| AMCEN |
African Ministerial Conference on the Environment |
| AMU |
Arab Maghreb Union |
| ANWR |
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge |
| AoA |
Agreement on Agriculture |
| AOC |
Areas of Concern |
| APELL |
Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level |
| AQIS |
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service |
| ASEAN |
Association of Southeast Asian Nations |
| AU |
African Union |
| BOD |
biological oxygen demand |
| BSE |
bovine spongiform encephalopathy |
| CAB |
Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences |
| CAMP |
Coastal Area Management Project |
| CAP |
Common Agricultural Policy |
| CARICOM |
Caribbean Community |
| CBC |
community-based conservation |
| CBD |
Convention on Biological Diversity |
| CBO |
community-based organization |
| CCA-AP |
Central American Council for Forests and Protected Areas |
| CCAMLR |
Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources |
| CCD |
Convention to Combat Desertification |
| CCFSC |
Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control |
| C-ROM |
Compact disk-read only memory |
| CEC |
Commission for Environmental Cooperation |
| CEE |
Central and Eastern Europe |
| CEIT |
Countries with Economies in Transition |
| CEP |
Committee for Environmental Protection |
| CERES |
Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economics |
| CFC |
Chlorofluorocarbon |
| CGIAR |
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research |
| CH4 |
methane |
| CIAT |
International Centre for Tropical Agriculture |
| CILSS |
Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel |
| CITES |
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora |
| CLRTAP |
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution |
| cm |
centimetre |
| CMS |
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals |
| CNC |
Chinese National Committee |
| CNG |
compressed natural gas |
| CO |
carbon monoxide |
| CO2 |
carbon dioxide |
| COP |
Conference of the Parties |
| CPACC |
Caribbean Planning for the Adaptation of Global Climate Change |
| CPF |
collaborative partnerships on forests |
| CRAMRA |
Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities |
| CRP |
Conservation Reserve Program (United States) |
| CSD |
Commission on Sustainable Development |
| CTBT |
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty |
| CZIMP |
Coastal Zone Integrated Management Plan |
| DALY |
disability adjusted life year |
| DDT |
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane |
| DPSIR |
driving force-pressure-state-impact-response |
| EANET |
Acid Deposition Monitoring Network |
| EBRD |
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development |
| EC |
European Community |
| ECOWAS |
Economic Community of West African States |
| EEZ |
Exclusive Economic Zone |
| EfE |
Environment for Europe |
| EIA |
environmental impact assessment |
| EMEP |
Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-Range Transmission of Air
Pollutants in Europe |
| EMS |
Environmental Management System |
| ENSO |
El Niño Southern Oscillation |
| EPC |
Emergency Preparedness Canada |
| EPCRA |
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act |
| EPPR |
Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response |
| ESA |
Endangered Species Act (United States) |
| ESDP |
European Spatial Development Perspective |
| ESP |
electrostatic precipitator |
| EU |
European Union |
| EVI |
Environmental Vulnerability Index |
| FAO |
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
| FDI |
foreign direct investment |
| FDRP |
Flood Damage Reduction Program |
| FEMA |
Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| FEWS |
Famine Early Warning System |
| FEWS NET |
Famine Early Warning System Network |
| FMCN |
Mexican Fund for Nature Conservation |
| FSC |
Forest Stewardship Council |
| FSU |
former Soviet Union |
| FTAA |
Free Trade Area for the Americas |
| G7 |
Group of Seven: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom,
United States |
| G8 |
Group of Eight: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russian Federation,
United Kingdom, United States |
| GATT |
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade |
| GAW |
Global Atmosphere Watch |
| GBIF |
Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| GCC |
Gulf Cooperation Council |
| GCOS |
Global Climate Observing System |
| GCRMN |
Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network |
| GDP |
gross domestic product |
| GEF |
Global Environment Facility |
| GEMS |
Global Environment Monitoring System |
| GEO |
Global Environment Outlook |
| GISP |
Global Invasive Species Programme |
| GIWA |
Global International Waters Assessment |
| GLASOD |
Global Assessment of Soil Degradation |
| GLOF |
glacial flood outburst lake |
| GLWQA |
Great Lakes Waters Quality Agreement |
| GM |
genetically modified |
| GMO |
genetically modified organism |
| GNP |
gross national product |
| GRI |
Global Reporting Initiative |
| GRID |
Global Resource Information Database |
| GSP |
gross state product |
| HABs |
harmful algal blooms |
| HCFC |
hydrochloroflourocarbon |
| HDI |
Human Development Index |
| HELCOM |
Helsinki Commission |
| HFC |
hydrofluorocarbon |
| HIPC |
Heavily Indebted Poor Country |
| HIV |
human immunodeficiency virus |
| IABIN |
Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network |
| ICC |
International Chamber of Commerce |
| ICLEI |
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives |
| ICM |
Integrated Coastal Management |
| ICRAN |
International Coral Reef Action Network |
| ICRI |
International Coral Reef Initiative |
| ICT |
information and communication technology |
| IDNDR |
International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction |
| IFAD |
International Fund for Agricultural Development |
| IFF |
Intergovernmental Forum on Forests |
| IJC |
International Joint Commission |
| ILO |
International Labour Organization |
| IMF |
International Monetary Fund |
| IMO |
International Maritime Organization |
| INBO |
International Network of Basin Organizations |
| INDOEX |
Indian Ocean Experiment |
| IPCC |
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| IPF |
Intergovernmental Panel on Forests |
| IPM |
integrated pest management |
| IPR |
intellectual property rights |
| IRWR |
internal renewable water resources |
| ISDR |
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction |
| ISO |
International Organization for Standardization |
| IT |
information technology |
| ITTO |
International Tropical Timber Organization |
| IUCN |
World Conservation Union |
| IWC |
International Whaling Commission |
| IWRM |
integrated water resources management |
| IYM |
International Year of Mountains |
| km |
kilometre |
| LADA |
Land Degradation Assessment of Drylands |
| LCBP |
Lake Champlain Basin Program (United States) |
| LMO |
living modified organism |
| LPG |
low-propane gas |
| LRT |
light rapid transit |
| LUCAS |
European Land Use/Land Cover Statistical Survey |
| MA |
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment |
| MAP |
Mediterranean Action Plan |
| MARPOL |
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships |
| MARS |
Major Accident Reporting System |
| MCPFE |
Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe |
| MEA |
multilateral environmental agreement |
| MEMAC |
Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Centre |
| MERCOSUR |
Mercado Común del Sur |
| MRT |
mass rapid transit |
| N2O |
nitrous oxide |
| NAACO |
National Ambient Air Quality Objectives (Canada) |
| NAACS |
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (United States) |
| NABIN |
North American Biodiversity Information Network |
| NAFTA |
North American Free Trade Agreement |
| NARSTO |
North American Research Strategy for Tropospheric Ozone |
| NAWMP |
North American Waterfowl Management Plan |
| NCAR |
National Center for Atmospheric Research |
| NEAP |
National Environmental Action Plan |
| NECD |
EU Directive on National Emission Ceilings for Certain Atmospheric
Pollutants |
| NEPA |
National Environmental Protection Agency |
| NEPM |
National Environmental Protection Measure |
| NGO |
non-governmental organization |
| NH3 |
ammonia |
| NIS |
Newly Independent States |
| NO |
nitrogen oxide |
| NO2 |
nitrogen dioxide |
| NOX |
nitrous oxides |
| NPK |
nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus (fertilizer) |
| NSSD |
National Strategy for Sustainable Development |
| O3 |
ozone |
| OAU |
Organization for African Unity |
| ODA |
official development assistance |
| ODS |
ozone-depleting substance |
| OECD |
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| OCIPEP |
Office of Critical Infrastructure and Emergency Preparedness |
| OSPAR |
Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East
Atlantic |
| PACD |
Plan of Action to Combat Desertification |
| PAME |
Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment |
| PCB |
polychlorinated biphenyls |
| PCP |
Permanent Cover Program (Canada) |
| PEBLDS |
Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy |
| PEEN |
Pan-European Ecological Network |
| PEFC |
Pan-European Forest Certification |
| PERSGA |
Protection of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden |
| PFRA |
Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (Canada) |
| PICs |
Pacific Island Countries |
| PM2.5 |
particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less |
| POPs |
persistent organic pollutants |
| PRRC |
Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (Philippines) |
| PSR |
pressure-state-response |
| RAP |
remedial action plan |
| REMPEC |
Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean
Sea |
| ROPME |
Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment |
| SACEP |
South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme |
| SADC |
Southern African Development Community |
| SANAA |
National Autonomous Water and Sewage Authority (Honduras) |
| SAP |
structural adjustment programme |
| SARA |
Species At Risk Act (Canada) |
| SCOPE |
Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment |
| SEA |
strategic environmental assessment |
| SEI |
Stockholm Environment Institute |
| SIDS |
Small Island Developing State or States |
| SO2 |
sulphur dioxide |
| SOE |
state of the environment |
| SOPAC |
South Pacific Applied Geosciences Commission |
| SPIRS |
Seveso Plants Information Retrieval System |
| SPM |
suspended particulate matter |
| SPRD |
Strategic Planning and Research Department (Singapore) |
| START |
System for Analysis, Research and Training |
| TAI |
Technology Achievement Index |
| TAO |
tropical atmospheric ocean |
| TCA |
Treaty for Amazonian Cooperation |
| TCDD |
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin |
| TEA |
Transportation Equity Act |
| TEK |
traditional ecological knowledge |
| TEN |
Trans-European Network |
| TFAP |
Tropical Forestry Action Plan |
| TRAFFIC |
Trade Records Analysis for Flora and Fauna in International Commerce |
| TRI |
Toxics Release Inventory |
| TRIPs |
Trade-Related Aspects of International Property Rights |
| UEBD |
Executive Unit for Settlements in Development (Honduras) |
| UK |
United Kingdom |
| UN |
United Nations |
| UNCED |
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development |
| UNCHS |
United Nations Commission on Human Settlements |
| UNCLOS |
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea |
| UNCOD |
United Nations Conference on Desertification |
| UNCTAD |
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development |
| UNDP |
United Nations Development Programme |
| UNECE |
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe |
| UNEP |
United Nations Environment Programme |
| UNEP-WCMC |
United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring
Centre |
| UNESCAP |
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific |
| UNESCO |
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| UNF |
United Nations Foundation |
| UNFCCC |
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change |
| UNFF |
United Nations Forum on Forests |
| UNHCR |
United Nations High Commission for Refugees |
| UNICEF |
United Nations Children's Fund |
| UNOCHA |
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |
| UNSO |
United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office (now UNDP Office to Combat
Desertification) |
| US |
United States |
| US EPA |
United States Environmental Protection Agency |
| USAID |
United States Agency for International Development |
| USFWS |
United States Fish and Wildlife Service |
| USGS |
United States Geological Survey |
| UV |
ultraviolet |
| VOC |
volatile organic compound |
| WBCSD |
World Business Council for Sustainable Development |
| WCED |
World Commission on Environment and Development |
| WCP |
World Climate Programme |
| WCS |
World Conservation Strategy |
| WFP |
World Food Programme |
| WHO |
World Health Organization |
| WHYCOS |
World Hydrological Cycle Observing System |
| WIPO |
World Intellectual Property Organization |
| WMO |
World Meteorological Organization |
| WSSCC |
Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council |
| WSSD |
World Summit on Sustainable Development |
| WTO |
World Trade Organization |
| WWC |
World Water Council |
| WWF |
World Wide Fund for Nature |
| ZACPLAN |
Zambezi River System Action Plan |
| ZAMCOM |
Zambezi Basin Commission |
