| 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 |
| HELCOM | 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 |
| NOx | 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 |
| OSPARCOM | 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 |
| UNCED | 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 |
