| Abreviere | Denumire |
| ABC | Asian Brown Cloud |
| AEPC | African Environmental Protection Commission |
| AEPS | Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy |
| AEWA | African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement |
| AIDS | acquired immunodeficiency syndrome |
| ALGAS | Asia Least Cost Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategies |
| AMCEN | African Ministerial Conference on the Environment |
| AMU | Arab Maghreb Union |
| ANWR | Arctic National Wildlife Refuge |
| AoA | Agreement on Agriculture |
| AOC | Areas of Concern |
| APELL | Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level |
| AQIS | Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service |
| ASEAN | Association of Southeast Asian Nations |
| AU | African Union |
| BOD | biological oxygen demand |
| BSE | bovine spongiform encephalopathy |
| CAB | Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences |
| CAMP | Coastal Area Management Project |
| CAP | Common Agricultural Policy |
| CARICOM | Caribbean Community |
| CBC | community-based conservation |
| CBD | Convention on Biological Diversity |
| CBO | community-based organization |
| CCAB-AP | Central American Council for Forests and Protected Areas |
| CCAMLR | Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources |
| CCD | Convention to Combat Desertification |
| CCFSC | Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control |
| CEC | Commission for Environmental Cooperation |
| CEE | Central and Eastern Europe |
| CEIT | Countries with Economies in Transition |
| CEP | Committee for Environmental Protection |
| CERES | Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economics |
| CFC | Chlorofluorocarbon |
| CGIAR | Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research |
| CH4 | methane |
| CIAT | International Centre for Tropical Agriculture |
| CILSS | Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel |
| CITES | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora |
| CLRTAP | Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution cm centimetre |
| CMS | Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals |
| CNC | Chinese National Committee |
| CNG | compressed natural gas |
| CO | carbon monoxide |
| CO2 | carbon dioxide |
| COP | Conference of the Parties |
| CPACC | Caribbean Planning for the Adaptation of Global Climate Change |
| CPF | collaborative partnerships on forests |
| CRAMRA | Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities |
| CRP | Conservation Reserve Program (United States) |
| CSD | Commission on Sustainable Development |
| CTBT | Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty |
| CZIMP | Coastal Zone Integrated Management Plan |
| DALY | disability adjusted life year |
| DDT | dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane |
| DPSIR | driving force-pressure-state-impact-response |
| EANET | Acid Deposition Monitoring Network |
| EBRD | European Bank for Reconstruction and Development |
| EC | European Community |
| ECOWAS | Economic Community of West African States |
| EEZ | Exclusive Economic Zone |
| EfE | Environment for Europe |
| EIA | environmental impact assessment |
| EMEP | Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-Range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe |
| EMS | Environmental Management System |
| ENSO | El Niño Southern Oscillation |
| EPC | Emergency Preparedness Canada |
| EPCRA | Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act |
| EPPR | Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response |
| ESA | Endangered Species Act (United States) |
| ESDP | European Spatial Development Perspective |
| ESP | electrostatic precipitator |
| EU | European Union |
| EVI | Environmental Vulnerability Index |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
| FDI | foreign direct investment |
| FDRP | Flood Damage Reduction Program |
| FEMA | Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| FEWS | Famine Early Warning System |
| FEWS NET | Famine Early Warning System Network |
| FMCN | Mexican Fund for Nature Conservation |
| FSC | Forest Stewardship Council |
| FSU | former Soviet Union |
| FTAA | Free Trade Area for the Americas |
| G7 | Group of Seven: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States |
| G8 | Group of Eight: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, U.S.A. |
| GATT | General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade |
| GAW | Global Atmosphere Watch |
| GBIF | Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| GCC | Gulf Cooperation Council |
| GCOS | Global Climate Observing System |
| GCRMN | Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network |
| GDP | gross domestic product |
| GEF | Global Environment Facility |
| GEMS | Global Environment Monitoring System |
| GEO | Global Environment Outlook |
| GISP | Global Invasive Species Programme |
| GIWA | Global International Waters Assessment |
| GLASOD | Global Assessment of Soil Degradation |
| GLOF | glacial flood outburst lake |
| GLWQA | Great Lakes Waters Quality Agreement |
| GM | genetically modified |
| GMO | genetically modified organism |
| GNP | gross national product |
| GRI | Global Reporting Initiative |
| GRID | Global Resource Information Database |
| GSP | gross state product |
| HABs | harmful algal blooms |
| HCFC | hydrochloroflourocarbon |
| HDI | Human Development Index |
| HELCOM | Helsinki Commission |
| HFC | hydrofluorocarbon |
| HIPC | Heavily Indebted Poor Country |
| HIV | human immunodeficiency virus |
| IABIN | Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network |
| ICC | International Chamber of Commerce |
| ICLEI | International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives |
| ICM | Integrated Coastal Management |
| ICRAN | International Coral Reef Action Network |
| ICRI | International Coral Reef Initiative |
| ICT | information and communication technology |
| IDNDR | International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction |
| IFAD | International Fund for Agricultural Development |
| IFF | Intergovernmental Forum on Forests |
| IJC | International Joint Commission |
| ILO | International Labour Organization |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund |
| IMO | International Maritime Organization |
| INBO | International Network of Basin Organizations |
| INDOEX | Indian Ocean Experiment |
| IPCC | Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| IPF | Intergovernmental Panel on Forests |
| IPM | integrated pest management |
| IPR | intellectual property rights |
| IRWR | internal renewable water resources |
| ISDR | International Strategy for Disaster Reduction |
| ISO | International Organization for Standardization |
| IT | information technology |
| ITTO | International Tropical Timber Organization |
| IUCN | World Conservation Union |
| IWC | International Whaling Commission |
| IWRM | integrated water resources management |
| IYM | International Year of Mountains km kilometre |
| LADA | Land Degradation Assessment of Drylands |
| LCBP | Lake Champlain Basin Program (United States) |
| LMO | living modified organism |
| LPG | low-propane gas |
| LRT | light rapid transit |
| LUCAS | European Land Use/Land Cover Statistical Survey |
| MA | Millennium Ecosystem Assessment |
| MAP | Mediterranean Action Plan |
| MARPOL | International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships |
| MARS | Major Accident Reporting System |
| MCPFE | Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe |
| MEA | multilateral environmental agreement |
| MEMAC | Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Centre |
| MERCOSUR | Mercado Común del Sur |
| MRT | mass rapid transit |
| N2O | nitrous oxide |
| NAACO | National Ambient Air Quality Objectives (Canada) |
| NAACS | National Ambient Air Quality Standards (United States) |
| NABIN | North American Biodiversity Information Network |
| NAFTA | North American Free Trade Agreement |
| NARSTO | North American Research Strategy for Tropospheric Ozone |
| NAWMP | North American Waterfowl Management Plan |
| NCAR | National Center for Atmospheric Research |
| NEAP | National Environmental Action Plan |
| NECD | EU Directive on National Emission Ceilings for Certain Atmospheric Pollutants |
| NEPA | National Environmental Protection Agency |
| NEPM | National Environmental Protection Measure |
| NGO | non-governmental organization |
| NH3 | ammonia |
| NIS | Newly Independent States |
| NO | nitrogen oxide |
| NO2 | nitrogen dioxide |
| NOx | nitrous oxides |
| NPK | nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus (fertilizer) |
| NSSD | National Strategy for Sustainable Development |
| O3 | ozone |
| OAU | Organization for African Unity |
| ODA | official development assistance |
| ODS | ozone-depleting substance |
| OECD | Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| OCIPEP | Office of Critical Infrastructure and Emergency Preparedness |
| OSPAR | Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic |
| PACD | Plan of Action to Combat Desertification |
| PAME | Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment |
| PCB | polychlorinated biphenyls |
| PCP | Permanent Cover Program (Canada) |
| PEBLDS | Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy |
| PEEN | Pan-European Ecological Network |
| PEFC | Pan-European Forest Certification |
| PERSGA | Protection of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden |
| PFRA | Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (Canada) |
| PICs | Pacific Island Countries |
| PM2.5 | particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less |
| POPs | persistent organic pollutants |
| PRRC | Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (Philippines) |
| PSR | pressure-state-response |
| RAP | remedial action plan |
| REMPEC | Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea |
| ROPME | Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment |
| SACEP | South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme |
| SADC | Southern African Development Community |
| SANAA | National Autonomous Water and Sewage Authority (Honduras) |
| SAP | structural adjustment programme |
| SARA | Species At Risk Act ( Canada ) |
| SCOPE | Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment |
| SEA | strategic environmental assessment |
| SEI | Stockholm Environment Institute |
| SIDS | Small Island Developing State or States |
| SO2 | sulphur dioxide |
| SOE | state of the environment |
| SOPAC | South Pacific Applied Geosciences Commission |
| SPIRS | Seveso Plants Information Retrieval System |
| SPM | suspended particulate matter |
| SPRD | Strategic Planning and Research Department (Singapore) |
| START | System for Analysis, Research and Training |
| TAI | Technology Achievement Index |
| TAO | tropical atmospheric ocean |
| TCA | Treaty for Amazonian Cooperation |
| TCDD 2,3,7,8- | tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin |
| TEA | Transportation Equity Act |
| TEK | traditional ecological knowledge |
| TEN | Trans-European Network |
| TFAP | Tropical Forestry Action Plan |
| TRAFFIC | Trade Records Analysis for Flora and Fauna in International Commerce |
| TRI | Toxics Release Inventory |
| TRIPs | Trade-Related Aspects of International Property Rights |
| UEBD | Executive Unit for Settlements in Development (Honduras) |
| UK | United Kingdom |
| UN | United Nations |
| UNCED | United Nations Conference on Environment and Development |
| UNCHS | United Nations Commission on Human Settlements |
| UNCLOS | United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea |
| UNCOD | United Nations Conference on Desertification |
| UNCTAD | United Nations Conference on Trade and Development |
| UNDP | United Nations Development Programme |
| UNECE | United Nations Economic Commission for Europe |
| UNEP | United Nations Environment Programme |
| UNEP-WCMC | United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre |
| UNESCAP | United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific |
| UNESCO | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| UNF | United Nations Foundation |
| UNFCCC | United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change |
| UNFF | United Nations Forum on Forests |
| UNHCR | United Nations High Commission for Refugees |
| UNICEF | United Nations Children's Fund |
| UNOCHA | United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |
| UNSO | United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office (now UNDP Office to Combat Desertification) |
| US | United States |
| US EPA | United States Environmental Protection Agency |
| USAID | United States Agency for International Development |
| USFWS | United States Fish and Wildlife Service |
| USGS | United States Geological Survey |
| UV | ultraviolet |
| VOC | volatile organic compound |
| WBCSD | World Business Council for Sustainable Development |
| WCED | World Commission on Environment and Development |
| WCP | World Climate Programme |
| WCS | World Conservation Strategy |
| WFP | World Food Programme |
| WHO | World Health Organization |
| WHYCOS | World Hydrological Cycle Observing System |
| WIPO | World Intellectual Property Organization |
| WMO | World Meteorological Organization |
| WSSCC | Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council |
| WSSD | World Summit on Sustainable Development |
| WTO | World Trade Organization |
| WWC | World Water Council |
| WWF | World Wide Fund for Nature |
| ZACPLAN | Zambezi River System Action Plan |
| ZAMCOM | Zambezi Basin Commission |
