Arabic Sustainability Dictionary

Gender pay gap

The difference between the average or median earnings of men and women, usually expressed as a percentage of men's earnings.

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

An independent international organisation whose GRI Standards are widely used for reporting an organisation's impacts on the economy, the environment and people.

Global warming potential (GWP)

A measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps over a set period, usually 100 years, relative to the same mass of carbon dioxide.

Green bond

A bond whose proceeds are used exclusively to finance or refinance eligible projects with clear environmental benefits.

Green Bond Principles (GBP)

Voluntary guidelines published by ICMA covering use of proceeds, project evaluation and selection, management of proceeds and reporting for green bonds.

Green debt

Debt instruments, such as bonds, sukuk and loans, whose proceeds finance eligible projects with environmental benefits.

Green economy

An economy that results in improved human well-being and social equity while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities (UNEP).

Green hydrogen

Hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water using renewable electricity, with little or no greenhouse gas emissions.

Green loan

A loan made available exclusively to finance or refinance eligible green projects.

Green sukuk

Shariah-compliant certificates whose proceeds finance eligible environmental projects, such as renewable energy or green buildings.

Greenhouse gas (GHG)

A gas that absorbs and re-emits infrared radiation in the atmosphere, causing warming; the main ones covered in accounting are CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, HFCs, PFCs, SF6 and NF3.

Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol)

The most widely used set of standards for corporate greenhouse gas accounting, developed by the World Resources Institute and WBCSD, which defines Scopes 1, 2 and 3.

Greenwashing

Making misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the environmental benefits or sustainability performance of a company, product or investment.

Grid emission factor

The average emissions per unit of electricity supplied by a given power grid in a given year, used in location-based Scope 2 accounting.

Grievance mechanism

A formal process through which workers, communities or others can raise concerns about a company's impacts and seek remedy.

Groundwater

Water held underground in soil and rock formations (aquifers), which in many arid regions is non-renewable.

Guarantee of origin (GO)

An electronic certificate used in Europe that proves to final customers that a given share or quantity of energy was produced from renewable sources.