Glossary
Land Use
**Land use** refers to the way humans utilize, manage, and organize land and its resources for different purposes such as agriculture, forestry, housing, industry, infrastructure, recreation, or conservation. It represents the functional and socio-economic role that land plays in human activity, reflecting both natural characteristics and deliberate human decisions.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), land use is “the totality of arrangements, activities, and inputs...
Large Wind Turbine
A **Large Wind Turbine** is an advanced, high-capacity wind energy conversion system designed to harness substantial kinetic energy from wind currents and convert it into electricity on a significant scale. Typically featuring rotor diameters greater than 80 meters and tower heights surpassing 100 meters, these turbines are engineered to maximize energy capture even at lower wind speeds. They often come equipped with state-of-the-art technologies including gearless direct-drive systems,...
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
**LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)** is an international green building certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998. It evaluates buildings based on sustainability, energy efficiency, water use, materials, indoor air quality, and innovation. LEED awards ratings—Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum—based on performance across these areas. It promotes lower environmental impact, reduced operational costs, and healthier spaces for occupants...
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
**Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)** is a systematic method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its entire life cycle. This includes stages such as raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal. LCA helps identify opportunities to improve environmental performance, reduce resource use, and minimize emissions.
Conducting an LCA involves compiling an inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and outputs, assessing...
Life Cycle GHG Emissions
**Life Cycle GHG Emissions** refer to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released throughout the entire life cycle of a product, process, or service. This comprehensive assessment considers emissions from all stages, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, usage, and end-of-life disposal or recycling. By evaluating the full life cycle, organizations and consumers can gain a more accurate understanding of the true environmental impact and make more informed...
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
**Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)** is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state, typically at around –162 °C (–260 °F), to reduce its volume for easier storage and transportation. In its liquid form, natural gas takes up about 1/600th of its gaseous volume, making it efficient to move long distances where pipelines are not practical.
LNG is composed mainly of methane (CH₄), with small amounts of other hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane, and butane. Before liquefaction, impurities...
Longwave Radiation Feedback
**Longwave Radiation Feedback** refers to the mechanisms through which changes in the Earth’s surface temperature influence the emission of infrared radiation back into space. Essentially, as the surface temperature increases, the amount of longwave radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface also increases. This process acts as a natural thermostat regulating our planet’s energy balance.
In the context of climate change, longwave radiation feedback plays a crucial role. When greenhouse gases...
Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS)
**Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS)** are comprehensive frameworks that guide nations and regions toward sustainable growth while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. These strategies integrate economic, social, and environmental policies to promote low-carbon development and enhance climate resilience. By employing cross-sectoral approaches, LEDS aim to create a harmonious balance between advancing economic prosperity and safeguarding our planet for future generations.
The primary...
Low-Carbon Economy
A **Low-Carbon Economy** is an economic system based on minimizing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) to mitigate climate change. By adopting sustainable practices and leveraging renewable energy sources, such an economy aims to achieve significant reductions in carbon footprints across all sectors, including transportation, industry, and agriculture. The focus is on transitioning from fossil fuels to cleaner alternatives like solar, wind, and hydroelectric...
Low-Carbon Technology
**Low-Carbon Technology** refers to innovative solutions and practices designed to significantly reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gas emissions. These technologies play a crucial role in combating climate change by minimizing the carbon footprint of various industries, including energy, transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing. They encompass a wide range of advancements such as renewable energy sources (solar, wind, and hydroelectric power), energy-efficient systems,...
Low-Level Waste (LLW)
**Low-Level Waste (LLW)** refers to a category of radioactive waste that contains material with lower levels of radioactivity compared to high-level waste. LLW typically includes items that have been contaminated with radioactive substances or have become radioactive through exposure to neutron radiation. These items may include things like clothing, tools, filters, and medical tubes, as well as materials from nuclear power plant maintenance and decommissioning activities.
The management and...
LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)
**LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)** is a fuel made mainly from propane, butane, or a mixture of both. It is produced during natural gas processing and oil refining, then stored as a liquid under pressure so it can be transported and used efficiently. LPG is commonly used for cooking, heating, industrial processes, agriculture and, in some countries, as an automotive fuel known as autogas. Compared with coal, fuel oil or diesel, LPG usually produces lower particulate matter, sulphur oxides and...