ACPAfrican, Caribbean and Pacific (countries)
AMAPArctic 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
CHPcombined heat and power
CIPRA Commission for the protection of the alps
CITESConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species
CLP chlorine loading potential
CMEACouncil for Mutual Economic Aid
CO2 carbon dioxide
COD chemical oxygen demand
CoECouncil of Europe
CORINE CO-oRdination of INformation on the Environment (CEC)
CSDCommission on Sustainable Development
CZM Coastal Zone Management
DDTdichloryldiphenyltrichorethane
DGDirectorate General (of CEC)
DMSdimethylsulphide
DNAdeoxyribonucleic acid
EASOEEuropean Arctic Stratospheric Ozone Experiment
EBCC European Bird Census Council
EBRDEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development
ECEuropean Community
ECCC European Coastal Conservation Conference
ECDIN Environmental Chemicals Data and Information Network (CEC)
ECE Economic Commission for Europe (UN)
ECEHEuropean 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
ENCYEuropean Nature Conservation Year (1995)
EOACEuropean Ornithological Atlas Committee
ESAEnvironmentally 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
FYROMFormer Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia
gamma-HCH lindane (organochlorine pesticide)
GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
GDPgross domestic product
GEFGlobal Environmental Facility
GEMSGlobal Environment Monitoring System UNEP)
GESAMPGroup of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution
GFCM General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean
GIS geographical information system
GMO genetically modified organismv
GMPgross material product
GNPgross national product
GWP global warming potential
H2O2 hydrogen peroxide
HCFChydrochloroflurocarbon
HELCOMHelsinki Commission
HGWP halocarbon global warming potential
IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency (UN)
IARC International Agency for Research in Cancer
IBAImportant 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
ICPRPInternational Commission for the Protection of the Rhine against Pollution
ICRP International Commission on Radiological Protection
ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions
ICWEInternational Conference on Water and the Environment
IEA International Energy Agency (UN)
IEBInitiative for Ecological Bricks
IGBP International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (ICSU)
IIASA International Institute for Applied Systems Analysisv
ILOInternational Labour Organization
IMO International Maritime Organisation
INESInternational 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
MARSMajor 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
NERINational Environmental Research Institute, Denmark
NGOnon-governmental organisation
NILUNorwegian 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)
NPNational 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
POCpersistent organic compound
POCP photochemical ozone creation potential
POP persistent organic pollutants
PPPPolluter 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
SACSpecial Area of Conservation
SEA strategic environmental assessment
SCOPEScientific Committee on Problems of the Environment
SNA system of national accounts
SO2 sulphur dioxide
SSB spawning stock biomass
SPASpecial Protected Area
SPM suspended particulate matter
TAC total allowable catch
TBT tributyl tin
toetonnes of oil equivalent
TSP total suspended particulates
UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, June 1992, 'the Earth summit'
UNCHEUnited Nations Conference on the Human Environment
UNCHS United Nations Centre for Human Settlements ('Habitat')
UNCTAD United Nations Commission on Trade and Development
UNDPUnited Nations Development Programme
UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
UNESCUnited Nations Economic and Social Council
UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNIDOUnited 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
WASHWater 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