Definitions and Acronyms

Database over acronyms. You can search for acronyms or add new ones to it. It is also possible to download the database as an excel sheet

Acronym	Meaning
ASEF	Asia-Europe Foundation http://www.asef.org/
Assessment	Formal efforts to assemble selected knowledge with a view toward making it publicly available in a form intended to be useful for decision-making (Mitchell and others 2006). By ‘formal’ the definition requires that the assessment should be sufficiently organised to identify components such as products, participants and issuing authority. ‘Selected knowledge’ indicates that the content has a defined scope or purpose and that not all information compiled and contributed is necessarily included in the report. The sources of knowledge may vary. While results from research and scientific knowledge predominate, assessments can supplement this with local, traditional or indigenous knowledge. Further, assessments can evaluate both existing information and research conducted expressly for the purpose. The definition also notes the importance of ensuring that assessments are in the public domain, as they may influence public debate and different types of decision-makers.
Assessments	Formal efforts to assemble selected knowledge with a view toward making it publicly available in a form intended to be useful for decision-making (Mitchell and others 2006). By ‘formal’ the definition requires that the assessment should be sufficiently organised to identify components such as products, participants and issuing authority. ‘Selected knowledge’ indicates that the content has a defined scope or purpose and that not all information compiled and contributed is necessarily included in the report. The sources of knowledge may vary. While results from research and scientific knowledge predominate, assessments can supplement this with local, traditional or indigenous knowledge. Further, assessments can evaluate both existing information and research conducted expressly for the purpose. The definition also notes the importance of ensuring that assessments are in the public domain, as they may influence public debate and different types of decision-makers.
BAP	Biodiversity Action Plan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity_Action_Plan
CAFE	Clean Air forEurope http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/air_pollution/l28026_en.htm
CBD	Convention on Biological Diversity http://www.cbd.int/
CEHAPE	Children's Environment and Health Action Plan forEurope http://www.euro.who.int/childhealthenv/policy/20020724_2
CITES	Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CITES
CLRTAP	Convention on Long-rangeTransboundaryAir Pollution http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/
COP	conference of the parties
CORINE	Coordination of Information on the Environment http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordination_of_Information_on_the_Environment
Credibility	It is concerned with whether the knowledge assembled in the assessment is believed to be valid. An assessment gains credibility and authority by virtue of its information, methods and procedures. Source: Marine AoA
DG	Directorate General http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directorate-General
DG ENV	Directorate General for Environment of the European Commission http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directorate-General_for_the_Environment_(European_Commission)
DG SANCO	Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection of the European Commission http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directorate-General_for_Health_and_Consumer_Protection_(European_Commission)
DIMESA	Directors' meeting for environmental statistics and accounts
DPSIR	The causal framework for describing the interactions between society and the environment adopted by the European Environment Agency: driving forces, pressures, states, impacts, responses (extension of the PSR model developed by OECD). Source: EEA glossary. For more information download the DPSIR/Typology matrix http://integratedassessment.ew.eea.europa.eu/Resources/knowledge_base/Tools_and_methods/facts/fol588453/using-indicators/DPSIR_Typology_matrix.pdf
E'H	Environment and health http://ec.europa.eu/environment/health/index_en.htm
E-PRTR	European Pollutants Release and Transfer Register http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/general_provisions/l28149_en.htm
EAP	Environment Action Programme http://ec.europa.eu/environment/newprg/index.htm
EBD	environmental burden of disease http://unfccc.int/files/adaptation/methodologies_for/vulnerability_and_adaptation/application/pdf/environmental_burden_of_disease_assessment.pdf
EBONE	European Biodiversity Observation Network http://www.ebone.wur.nl/UK/
EC	European Commission http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
ECDC	European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control http://ecdc.europa.eu/
ECMWF	European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts http://www.ecmwf.int/
Ecosystem	An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plant, animal, and micro-organism communities and the non-living environment interacting as a functional unit. Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005
Ecosystems	An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plant, animal, and micro-organism communities and the non-living environment interacting as a functional unit. Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005
EEA	European Environment Agency http://www.eea.europa.eu/
EEA	European Economic Area http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area
EEA	European Economic Association http://www.eeassoc.org/
EEAC	European Environment Advisory Committee
EEC	European Economic Community http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Community
EFTA	European Free Trade Association http://www.efta.int/
EHIS	Environmental Health Information Services
EIONET	European environment information and observation network http://www.eionet.europa.eu/
EMAS	Eco-Management and Audit Scheme http://ec.europa.eu/environment/emas/index_en.htm
EMEP	European Monitoring and EvaluationProgramme http://www.emep.int/http:/www.emep.int/
EMODNET	European Marine Observation and Data Network http://newsweaver.co.uk/coastmapnews/e_article001208695.cfm?x=b11,0,w
ENCA Network	Network of Heads of European Nature Conservation Agencies http://encanet.eu/home/
ENEA	European Network of Environmental Authorities http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/pdf/enea/enea_presentation.pdf
ENP	European Neighbourhood Policy http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/index_en.htm
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)	Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the term applied to the systematic examination of the likely impacts of development proposals on the environment prior to the beginning of any activity.
EPA	United States Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/
EPA Network	Network of the Heads of Environment Protection Agencies http://epanet.ew.eea.europa.eu/
EPER	European pollutant emission register http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/pollutants/stationary/eper/index.htm
ESD	Education for sustainable development http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_for_Sustainable_Development
ESPON2013	European observation network for territorial development http://www.espon.eu/
ETC/ACC	European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change http://etc-acc.eionet.europa.eu/
ETC/BD	European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity http://biodiversity.eionet.europa.eu/
ETC/RWM	European Topic Centre on Resource and Waste Management http://scp.eionet.europa.eu/
ETC/WTR	European Topic Centre onWater http://water.eionet.europa.eu/
ETR	environmental tax reform
ETS	Emissions Trading Scheme http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/emission/index_en.htm
EU	European Union http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/general_provisions/l28149_en.htm
EUCC	European Union Coastal Conservation http://www.eucc.nl/
EUNIS	European Nature Information System http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/
EURECA	European Ecosystem Assessment http://biodiversity-chm.eea.europa.eu/information/F1051869800/fol818985
Eurostat/ESTAT	Statistical Office of the European Communities http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/eurostat/home/
GDP	gross domestic product http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product
GEO	Global Environment Outlook http://www.unep.org/geo/
GEOSS	Global Earth Observation System of Systems http://www.earthobservations.org/
GHG	greenhouse gas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas
GHS	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globally_Harmonized_System http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_welcome_e.html
GMES	Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security. European Initiative for the establishment of a European capacity for Earth Observation. http://www.gmes.info/
GMO	Genetically modified organism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism
H2020	Horizon 2020 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enlarg/med/horizon_2020_en.htm
HELCOM	Helsinki Commission - Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission http://www.helcom.fi/
IEA	International Energy Agency http://www.iea.org/
IHPA	International HCH and Pesticides Association http://www.ihpa.info/
Impact assessment	Assessment that identifies and characterizes the impacts of human activities and/or natural pressures on ecosystems and society. Source: Marine AoA
Impact assessments	Assessments that identify and characterize the impacts of human activities and/or natural pressures on ecosystems and society. Source: Marine AoA
IMS	Indicator Management Systems http://ims.eionet.europa.eu/
INSPIRE	Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe. established by Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2007. INSPIRE aims at making available relevant, harmonised and quality geographic information to support formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and activities which have a direct or indirect impact on the environment. Source: EC INSPIRE Geoportal http://www.inspire-geoportal.eu/index.cfm http://www.inspire-geoportal.eu/
Integrated assessment	Assessment that integrates across environmental, economic and social aspects, across industry sectors, and across ecosystem components (which may include land-based sources of inputs as well as land-based industries that depend on marine resources). Source: Marine AoA
Integrated assessments	Assessments that integrate across environmental, economic and social aspects, across industry sectors, and across ecosystem components (which may include land-based sources of inputs as well as land-based industries that depend on marine resources). Source: Marine AoA
IOMC	Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals http://www.who.int/iomc/en/
IPCC	Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change http://www.ipcc.ch/
IPPC	Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/pollutants/stationary/ippc/index.htm
IRENA	International Renewable Energy Agency http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRENA
JRC	Joint Research Centre (European Commission) http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/index.cfm
Legitimacy	A measure of the acceptability or perceived fairness of an assessment. A legitimate assessment is one that has been conducted in a manner that allows users to be satisfied that their interests have been taken into account appropriately and that the process has been fair. Source: Marine AoA
LIFE	EU Financial Instrument for the Environment http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/
LRTAP	Long-rangeTransboundaryAir Pollution http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/
MA	Millennium ecosystem Assessment http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.aspx
MAP	Mediterranean Action Plan http://www.unepmap.org/
MED POL	pollution monitoring and assessment programme - Mediterranean region http://www.euro.who.int/watsan/CountryActivities/20030612_7
Metadata	Data about data. Source: EEA glossary
MFA1	Material Flow Analysis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_Flow_Analysis
MFA2	Material Flow Accounting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_Flow_Accounting
NAMEA	National Accounting Matrices including Environmental accounts http://ivm5.ivm.vu.nl/sat/pdf/tool_chappdf.12.pdf
NEC	National Emission Ceilings http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/air_pollution/l28095_en.htm
NESIS	Network to enhance a European Environment Shared and Interoperable Information System http://www.ec-gis.org/Workshops/inspire_2008/presentations/10_01_saio.pdf
NFP	National Focal Point http://www.eea.europa.eu/about-us/countries-and-eionet/list-of-members-of-the-nfp-eionet-group
NGO	Non-governmental organization http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-governmental_organization
OECD	Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html
OSCE	Organisation for Security and Co-operation inEurope http://www.osce.org/
OSPAR	Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of theNorth-East Atlantic http://www.ospar.org/
PRELUDE	PRospectiveEnvironmental analysis of Land Use Development inEurope http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/prelude-launched-in-brussels
Process	Institutional arrangements established to govern, guide and conduct the assessment and to ensure that the mandate and procedures are followed. Source: Marine AoA
Product	It includes both the expert reports/summaries/scenarios and underlying data and information used in the analyses. Source: Marine AoA
PRTR	http://www.prtr.de/ http://www.chem.unep.ch/prtr/
REACH	Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/reach_intro.htm
Relevance	It denotes the ability of an assessment to address the particular concerns of those using it. It is also referred to as ‘salience’. An assessment is relevant if the user is aware of it and it informs his/her decisions or behaviour. Source: Marine AoA
Reportnet	Eionet’s infrastructure for supporting and improving data and information flows. Reportnet is based on a set of inter-related tools and processes which all build on the active use of the World Wide Web. http://www.eionet.europa.eu/reportnet
Response assessment	Assessment that identifies and evaluates measures that reduce human contributions or vulnerabilities to environmental changes. It can focus on potential future response options and evaluate their risks and likely outcomes, or they may evaluate the effectiveness of policies and measures already adopted. Source: Marine AoA.
Response assessments	Assessments that identify and evaluate measures that reduce human contributions or vulnerabilities to environmental changes. They can focus on potential future response options and evaluate their risks and likely outcomes, or they may evaluate the effectiveness of policies and measures already adopted. Source: Marine AoA.
RTD	Research and Technological Development http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Framework_Programmes_for_Research_and_Technological_Development
SAICM	Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management http://www.saicm.org/index.php?ql=h&content=home
SCOUT	Sustainable Consumption andOUTlookand scenarios forEurope
SCP	sustainable consumption and production http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/escp_en.htm
SD	sustainable development http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_development
SDS	safety data sheets http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_safety_data_sheet
SEBI	Streamlining European Biodiversity Indicators http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/knowledge/eu2010_indicators/index_en.htm
Sectoral assessment	Assessment that addresses a particular sector of human activity. Source: Marine AoA
Sectoral assessments	Assessments that address a particular sector of human activity. Source: Marine AoA
SEEAW	System of Environmental-Economic Accounting for Water http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/doc07/SEEAW_SC2007.pdfhttp:/unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/doc07/SEEAW_SC2007.pdf
SEIS	Shared Environmental Information System forEurope http://ec.europa.eu/environment/seis/
SMES	Small and Medium Enterprises http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_and_medium_enterprises
SOER	The European Environment - State and outlook http://soer2010.ew.eea.europa.eu/
Status and trend (or process) assessment	Assessments that typically describe the present and changing status of ecosystems. Source: Marine AoA
Stern report	Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stern_Review
Strategic Impact Assessment (SIA)	Strategic Impact Assessment (SIA), also known as Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), is the assessment of the wider environmental, social and economic impacts of alternative proposals at the beginning of a project.
TEEB	The Economics of Ecosystems ' Biodiversity http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/economics/
TERM	Transport and environment reporting mechanism http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/TEC18
Thematic assessment	Assessment that focuses on a theme or issue other than a single sector of human activity. Source: Marine AoA
Thematic assessments	Assessments that focus on a theme or issue other than a single sector of human activity. Source: Marine AoA
TOBIN	Tobin Tax http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobin_tax
UN	United Nations http://www.un.org/
UNCSD	United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/index.shtml
UNDP	United Nations Development Programme http://www.undp.org/
UNECE	United Nations Economic Commission forEurope http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/
UNEP	United Nations Environment Programme http://www.unep.org/
UNEP-WCMC	World Conservation Monitoring Centre http://www.unep-wcmc.org/
UNFCCC	United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change http://unfccc.int/2860.php
UNWTO	World Tourism Organization http://www.unwto.org/index.php
USEPA	TheUSEnvironmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/
WFD	Water Framework Directive http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/index_en.html
WHO	World Health Organisation http://www.who.int/en/
WISE	Water Information System forEurope http://water.europa.eu/
WTO	World Trade Organisation http://www.wto.org/