INDEX of GHG
GWP: Global Warming Potentials compare gases with Carbon Dioxide (CO2) to assess how effectively the gas can contribute to warming the atmosphere over a 100-year period.
LIFESPAN: What is the duration of harmful effects of these gases in the atmosphere?
PPM parts per million: How many gas molecules are found within 1 million molecules?
PPB parts per billion: Not enough gas molecules found in 1 million.
PPT parts per trillion: Not enough gas molecules found in 1 billion
RATE: Increase or decline of the amount? Of the year 2022 compared to 2021 (NOAA)
OKAY: What amount is safe? When is the amount neglectable? This probably means comparing with 1850-1950?
Carbon Dioxide (Co2)
Cars, Fossil Fuels,
Vulcano
GWP 1
LIFESPAN 20- 200 years, Carbon cycle
PPM 419.56 ppm
RATE 2.07 ppm rise per year
OKAY 284.32 ppm (year 1850)
Methane (CH4)
Gas found in nature
Farts, Biological decay
Fossil fuels
GWP 27.0–29.8
LIFESPAN 11.8 years
PPB 1922.20 ppb
RATE 14.77 rise per year
Nitrous Oxide (CH3CCl3)
Laughing Gas, Fertilizer,
Nylon, and Anaesthetic,
Also found in nature
GWP 273
LIFESPAN 109 years
PPB 336.61 ppb
RATE 1.26 ppb rise per year
Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6)
Sulfur With Fluorine
Electrical Transmission
GWP 23500
LIFESPAN 1000 years
PPT 11.32 ppt
RATE 0.37 ppt per year
Hydrofluorocarbons HCFC
replace CFC: refrigeration, AC,
insulation, fire extinguishing, aerosols
GWP 59- 1980
LIFESPAN 1.3 -12 years
Chlorofluorocarbons CFCs
hair spray, refrigeration
banned under Montreal Protocol
Not found in nature
GWP 4660 – 13900
LIFESPAN 45 – 1020 years
Water Vapour
WGP
LIFESPAN: Water cycle
Source INDEX of GHG
Last opdate: 23/08/2023
Source used for GWP and lifespan: EPA, 2021, Climate Change Indicators: Greenhouse Gases https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/greenhouse-gases,
EPA reference: IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). 2021. Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Working Group I contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6. (information about ODS you find in chapter 7, pages 948 table 7.5 and 1017 table 7.15)
Source used for PPT, PPB, PPM, and Rate: NOAA, regularly updated, Global Monitoring Laboratory, https://gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/gl_trend.html. You find the data used for this table by clicking on the gas you want. For Co2 click also on global, Recent Trends, or Growth Rate.
For HCFC and CFC redirect to INDEX ODS
