a. Accreditation – is a certification issued by the Department of Tourism to a tourism enterprise that officially recognizes it as having complied with the minimum standards for the operation of tourism facilities and services
b. Alienable and Disposable Lands – refer to those lands of the public domain which have been declared by law as no longer considered for public use.
c. Biological Diversity – means the variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystem and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and ecosystems.
d. Buffer zones – are identified areas outside the boundaries of immediately adjacent to designated protected areas and need special development control in order to avoid or minimize harm to the protected area.
e. Certificate of Non-Coverage – a certification issued by EMB certifying that based on the submitted project description, the project is not covered by EIS system and is not required to secure an ECC.
f. Cultural Heritage – refers to the totality of cultural property preserved and developed through time and passed on to posterity.
g. Eco-tourism – refers to a form of sustainable tourism within a natural and cultural heritage area where community participation, protection and management of natural resources, culture and indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and ethics, as well as economic benefits are fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and the satisfaction of visitors.
h. Emission – refers to the act of passing into the atmosphere an air contaminant, pollutant, gas stream from a known source.
i. Environment – refers to the quantity, quality, diversity and sustainability of renewable and non- renewable natural resources, including the ambient environment such as the atmosphere, climate, sound and odors that are critical determinants of the quality of life. In a broad sense, it shall include the total environment of man such as economic, social, cultural, politics, and historic factors.
j. Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) – refers to the certification issued by the DENR/EMB after a positive review of an ECC application, certifying that based on the representation of the proponent, the proposed project or undertaking will not cause significant negative environmental impact. The ECC also certifies that the proponent has complied with all the requirements of the EIS and has committed to implement its approved Environmental Management Plan, including other special permits and clearances from concerned government agencies.
k. Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA) – refers to those socially, ecologically and geologically sensitive areas declared by law or valid proclamations.
l. Environmentally Critical Projects (ECP) – refers to those socially, ecologically and geologically sensitive projects declared by law or valid proclamation.
m. Hazardous Waste – refers to a used or discarded material that can damage the environment and harmful to human which include heavy metals and toxic chemicals and industrial products and processes as well as infectious medical wastes and radioactive materials.
n. Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) – Checklist Report – refers to a document prescribed by the DENR, to be filled up by a proponent to identify and assess a project’s environmental impacts and the mitigation/enhancement measures to address such impacts.
