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Image: Shutterstock/Blue Planet Studio
Image: Shutterstock/Blue Planet Studio
FROM LOWERING OUR carbon emissions to choosing renewable energy sources, there are plenty of climate terms that are part of the country’s everyday vocabulary by now.
But even a quick glance through the news headlines may still throw up some phrases you’re not quite sure on, be it biomass or biodiversity, carbon sink or carbon sequestration.
Luckily, getting to grips with the jargon won’t involve getting a pHD in Climatology, thanks to widely available resources like the Climate Jargon Buster that’ll help you figure out what’s what.
If you’re not quite sure where the gaps in your knowledge are, take our quiz below to see how many common climate terms you can guess correctly. You might know more than you think…
1. The Climate Action Plan sets out Ireland’s measures to achieve a balance between the greenhouse gas emissions we produce, and those taken out of the atmosphere, by 2050. This balance is commonly referred to as what?
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Net plus
Net minus
Net zero
2. A BER certificate indicates the energy efficiency of your home. What do the letters BER stand for?
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Building Energy Rating
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Basic Energy Reading
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Building Efficiency Rating
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Building Expert Rating
3. If your neighbour tells you they’re ‘retrofitting’ their house, which of the below are they most likely to be doing?
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Adding new fitted wardrobes and shelving
Making changes to improve the energy efficiency of their home, like upgrading roof and wall insulation
Changing their home’s interior décor by adding retro-inspired furniture
4. Ireland’s Climate Action Plan aims to reduce transport emissions by 50% by 2050, and increase the number of electric cars on our roads. In car terms, what is a BEV?
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Better Energy Vehicle
Boosted Electric Vehicle
Battery Electric Vehicle
5. Fuel sources like coal are often referred to as ‘fossil fuels’. Why?
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They were formed over millions of years from animal and plant remains
They’re the same fuel sources that were used in prehistoric times
They’re old and about to become obsolete
6. In fuel terms, what is biomass?
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Another term for ‘fossil fuels’
Plant or animal materials that can be used as a fuel source, like wood or food waste
A type of hydrogen produced from natural gas
7. The Circular Economy Bill will support significant changes to how we produce and consume goods in this country. Which of these is an example of the circular economy in action?
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A toy shop taking back old toys for repair and reselling
A vintage clothes shop restyling and reselling old garments
A car manufacturer taking back used batteries to give them a second life
All of the above
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You scored out of !
Looks like you have some more to learn!
Confused by all the climate jargon? Read on below to access a handy guide to the most common terms out there....
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You scored out of !
Well done - but looks like you still have more to learn!
Confused by all the climate jargon? Read on below to access a handy guide to the most common terms out there....
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You scored out of !
Your climate knowledge is pretty good!
Well done! Want to learn even more? Read on below to access a handy guide to the most common climate terms out there....
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You got top marks!
Well done! Want to learn even more? Read on below to access a handy guide to the most common climate terms out there....
Use the Climate Jargon Buster to find definitions for common climate terms relating to energy, transport and more, all delivered in plain English. You’ll find it right here.
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