Geothermal or “earth heat” is found in the form of steam or hot water reservoirs, and even in hot rocks. When the geothermal reservoir is at a moderate temperature, this resource is used to produce the heat distributed in a heating network.
When the temperature of the geothermal reservoir is higher, it can be used to produce steam to generate electricity.
Geothermal energy or "the earth's heat" comes in the shape of pools of steam or hot water or even hot rocks.
When the geothermal reserves are moderate temperature ones, this resource is used to produce heat that is then distributed through a heating network. When the temperature of the geothermal reserves is higher and allows the production of steam, then it is possible to produce electricity.
The Global Compact, launched by Kofi Annan in January 1999, at the Davos Economic Forum in Switzerland, is a partnership between the United Nations, Non-Governmental Organizations, and the corporate world. According to the UN Secretary-General, the aim is “to combine the strength of markets with the authority of universal ideals” and to take into account the social and environmental impact of globalization. The 10 principles of the Global Compact state that businesses should:
A private, multistakeholder US initiative set up by a Boston-based NGO, CERES, and the UNEP. It offers sustainability reporting guidelines that take into account environmental, social and economic performance.
A hydraulic shovel with four mobile “teeth” forming a pincer and used to demolish and/or handle waste and other material.
The producer is issued with a green certificate for each MWh of electricity generated from renewable energy (hydroelectric, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, biogas, wood energy). It is then sent to the consumer to certify the source of its electricity. In France, OBSERV'ER is the institute that issues green certificates.
City planning document used to produce maps of the citie's green spaces.
Plant waste from gardening and landscaping activities. A distinction is made between household or garden waste, and municipal green waste produced by a municipality’s technical services.
A natural phenomenon enabling the earth to have a livable temperature. It is due to the presence of greenhouse gases (GHGs) (water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, etc.) in the atmosphere. However, human activities produce a great quantity of GHGs, increasing the greenhouse effect, which risks leading to climate changes and serious consequences for the planet’s future.
Gas that absorbs part of the sun’s rays, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), tropospheric ozone (O3), CFCs and HCFCs, synthetic gases that are responsible for damaging the ozone layer, as well as CFC replacements HFC, PFC and SF6. Veolia Environmental Services’s emissions are mainly CO2 and CH4. That latter’s impact on the greenhouse effect is 21 times greater than that of CO2. The use of clean fuels, the recovery of the energy in landfill gas and the development of cogeneration are all making progress in significantly reducing the greenhouse effect.
These allowances correspond to a permit to emit one metric ton equivalent of carbon dioxide in a given period. They are allocated to energy plant operators under the implementation of the European Directives aimed at achieving Kyoto Protocol objectives.
Gas absorbing some solar rays and responsible for climate change (CO2, CH4, N2O, water vapour).
A 1997 multi-party private American initiative by CERES (NGO based in Boston) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). It provides guidelines for compiling sustainable development reports taking into account environmental, social and economic aspects.
Giga Watt hour