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Rain that contains harmful acids caused by air pollution.
acid rain
Official examinations or checks to see whether rules, standards, or procedures are being followed.
audits
Protected areas created to conserve plants, animals, and natural ecosystems while supporting sustainable development.
biosphere reserves
An environmental award given to beaches and marinas that meet high standards of cleanliness, safety, and environmental management.
Blue Flag
The cutting down or removal of large areas of forests.
deforestation
The process of something becoming damaged or losing its quality or condition.
degradation
Reduced greatly in amount because most of it has been used.
depleted
The reduction or loss of a natural resource because it is being used up.
depletion
Communities of plants, animals, and other organisms interacting with their physical environment.
ecosystems
Tourism that involves visiting natural areas responsibly while protecting the environment and supporting local communities.
ecotourism
The planning and control of energy use in order to reduce waste and save resources.
energy management
Describing an area that can easily be damaged by human activity and therefore needs special care or protection.
Environmentally Sensitive
The gradual wearing away of soil, rock, or land by wind, water, or other natural forces.
erosion
Fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas that were formed from ancient plants and animals.
fossil fuels
The long-term increase in the Earth's average temperature, mainly caused by greenhouse gases.
global warming
An international environmental certification programme for sustainable tourism businesses.
Green Globe
An international environmental organization that campaigns to protect nature and the environment.
Greenpeace
The natural places where particular animals or plants live.
habitats
The effect or influence that an activity has on the environment, people, or a place.
impact
Involving or affecting a very large number of people, for example large-scale tourism.
mass
A place recognized internationally as having outstanding cultural or natural importance and protected for future generations.
World Heritage
A layer of gas high in the atmosphere that protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
ozone layer
Able to continue for a long time without causing serious harm to the environment or using up natural resources.
sustainable
Useful materials or supplies, especially natural materials such as water, forests, minerals, and energy sources.
resources
Acting in a way that shows care for the environment, society, and the consequences of one's actions.
responsible