Acronyms and Abbreviations

ACP

African, Caribbean and Pacific (countries)

AMAP

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme

ANC

acid neutralising capacity

AQG

air quality guidelines (of WHO)

BaP

benzo(a)pyrene

BAT

best available technology

BOD

biochemical oxygen demand

CAP

Common Agricultural Policy (EU)

CEC

Commission of the European Communities now known as European Commission)

CEFIC

European confederation of chemical industries

CEI

Central European Initiative

CEN

European committee for standardisation

CFC

chlorofluorocarbon

CFP

Common Fisheries Policy (EU)

CH₄

methane

CHP

combined heat and power

CIPRA

Commission for the protection of the alps

CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

CLP

chlorine loading potential

CMEA

Council for Mutual Economic Aid

CO₂

carbon dioxide

COD

chemical oxygen demand

CoE

Council of Europe

CORINE

CO-oRdination of INformation on the Environment (CEC)

CSD

Commission on Sustainable Development

CZM

Coastal Zone Management

DDT

dichloryldiphenyltrichorethane

DG

Directorate General (of CEC)

DMS

dimethylsulphide

DNA

deoxyribonucleic acid

EASOE

European Arctic Stratospheric Ozone Experiment

EBCC

European Bird Census Council

EBRD

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC

European Community

ECCC

European Coastal Conservation Conference

ECDIN

Environmental Chemicals Data and Information Network (CEC)

ECE

Economic Commission for Europe (UN)

ECEH

European Centre for Environmental Health (WHO)

ECETOC

European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology

ECMT

European Conference of Ministers of Transport

EEA(-TF)

European Environment Agency (Task Force, CEC DG XI)

EEZ

Exclusive Economic Zone

EFTA

European Free Trade Association

EIA

Environmental Impact Assessment

EINECS

European Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances (CEC)

EMEP

European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme

EMF

electromagnetic field

ENCY

European Nature Conservation Year (1995)

EOAC

European Ornithological Atlas Committee

ESA

Environmentally Sensitive Area

EU

European Union

EWC

European Waste Catalogue

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization (UN)

FCCC

Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN)

FGD

flue-gas desulphurisation

FOREGS

Forum of European Geological Surveys

FYROM

Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia

gamma-HCH

lindane (organochlorine pesticide)

GATT

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

GDP

gross domestic product

GEF

Global Environmental Facility

GEMS

Global Environment Monitoring System UNEP)

GESAMP

Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution

GFCM

General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean

GIS

geographical information system

GMO

genetically modified organismv

GMP

gross material product

GNP

gross national product

GWP

global warming potential

H₂O₂

hydrogen peroxide

HCFC

hydrochloroflurocarbon

HELC OM

Helsinki Commission

HGWP

halocarbon global warming potential

IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency (UN)

IARC

International Agency for Research in Cancer

IBA

Important Bird Area

IBSFC

International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission

ICBP

International Council for Bird Preservation (now BirdLife International)

ICC

International Chamber of Commerce

ICCAT

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

ICES

International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

ICNIRP

International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection

ICPRP

International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine against Pollution

ICRP

International Commission on Radiological Protection

ICSU

International Council of Scientific Unions

ICWE

International Conference on Water and the Environment

IEA

International Energy Agency (UN)

IEB

Initiative for Ecological Bricks

IGBP

International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (ICSU)

IIASA

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysisv

ILO

International Labour Organization

IMO

International Maritime Organisation

INES

International Nuclear Events Scale

IOC

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO)

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IPCS

International Programme of Chemical Safety (WHO, UNEP, ILO)

IRB

International Reclamation Bureau

IRPA

International Radiation Protection Association

IRPTC

International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals (UNEP)

ISRIC

International Soil Reference and Information Centre

ISSG

Irish Sea Study Group

IUCN

World Conservation Union

IWC

International Whaling Commission

IWIC

International Waste Identification Code

IWRB

International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau

LCA

life-cycle analysis

LRTAP

Long-Range Transboundary of Air Pollution (Convention)

MAP

Mediterranean Action Plan

MARS

Major Accident Reporting System

MCBSF

Mixed Commission for Black Sea Fisheries

MEDPOL

Mediterranean Pollution Monitoring and Research Programme

MPC

maximum permissible concentration

MSY

maximum sustainable yield

NEAFC

Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission

NERI

National Environmental Research Institute, Denmark

NGO

non-governmental organisation

NILU

Norwegian Institute for Air Research

NMVOC

non-methane volatile organic compound

N₂O

dinitrogen oxide (traditionally called nitrous oxide)

NO

nitrogen oxide (traditionally called nitric oxide)

NO₂

nitrogen dioxide

NO_x

nitrogen oxides (non-specific, including NO and NO₂)

NP

National Park

NSTF

North Sea Task Force

OECD

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OH

hydroxyl

ODP

ozone depletion potential

Oslo and Paris Commissions (established by the Oslo and Paris conventions on prevention of marine pollution)

PAH

polycyclic (or polynuclear) aromatic hydrocarbon

PAN

peroxyacetylnitrate

PCB

polychlorinated biphenyl

PCDD

polychlorinated dibenzodioxin

PCDF

polychlorinated dibenzofuran

PM

particulate matter

POC

persistent organic compound

POCP

photochemical ozone creation potential

POP

persistent organic pollutants

PPP

Polluter Pays Principle

RIVM

National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, The Netherlands

RIZA

Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment, The Netherlands

SAC

Special Area of Conservation

SEA

strategic environmental assessment

SCOPE

Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment

SNA

system of national accounts

SO₂

sulphur dioxide

SSB

spawning stock biomass

SPA

Special Protected Area

SPM

suspended particulate matter

TAC

total allowable catch

TBT

tributyl tin

toe

tonnes of oil equivalent

TSP

total suspended particulates

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, June 1992, 'the Earth summit'

UNCHE

United Nations Conference on the Human Environment

UNCHS

United Nations Centre for Human Settlements ('Habitat')

UNCTAD

United Nations Commission on Trade and Development

UNDP

United Nations Development Programme

UNECE

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

UNEP

United Nations Environment Programme

UNESC

United Nations Economic and Social Council

UNESCO

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNIDO

United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

UNSCEAR

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation

UNSTATO

United Nations Statistical Office (formerly UNSO)

VOC

volatile organic compound

WASH

Water and Sanitation for Health

WCED

World Commission on Environment and Development (UN)

WCMC

World Conservation Monitoring Centre

WCRP

World Climate Research Programme

WEC

World Energy Council

WHO

World Health Organization (UN)

WMO

World Meteorological Organization (UN)

WTO

World Tourism Organisation