This week we’re cutting through the data, energy, and equity jargon by sharing our own definitions of the most common terms from climate change to verification. We’ve spent time drawing on the knowledge, expertise, and culture of Greenlink with the goal of simplifying and demystifying any complex or vague language and capturing the heart of their meaning. Enjoy reading through the terms and please share those that resonate with you.
Climate Change: One of the biggest issues facing humanity caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Use climate emergency or climate crisis when describing the broader impact of climate change.
Data Analytics: The science of analyzing raw data to draw insights from that information.
Energy: The use of physical power generated from various resources such as fossil fuels and renewables) that enables society to grow, develop, and achieve its goals.
Equity: Alleviating the hardships of those most harmed by obstructed access to resources and ensuring they receive the largest benefits that support their overall wellbeing and to correct for past wrongs they have endured.
Intersectional: Understanding how the connections between mainstream social constructs (such as gender, religion, race, etc.) influence an individual or community’s experiences with privilege and/or discrimination.
Listening Tour: An inclusive process, that Greenlink conducts internally, of interviewing climate and equity experts across the country to understand gaps in policy and guide the direction of our work.
Net Zero: Cutting greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, to as close to zero as possible.
Nonwhite: A broad term used to replace BIPOC because “people of color” it’s not inclusive of all ethnicities and reduces people to an acronym.
Paris Climate Agreement: An international treaty that aims to keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C – as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
Pathways: How we get to net zero or the goal depending on the scenario.
Racism: The harmful belief system that a particular racial or ethnic group is inferior to their white counterparts.
Renewable Energy: Energy sources that won’t run out, including solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower.
Scenarios: Alternative futures.
Systemic Inequities: Barriers embedded in society that perpetuate continued discrimination.
Testing: Providing data with known answers to ensure the pattern has been learned.
Verification: Checking the pattern more comprehensively across more data and more tests.