Greenhouse gases are those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the infrared spectrum emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This ability to absorb and re-emit causes the greenhouse effect, trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere. Water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and ozone (O3) are the primary GHGs in the Earth’s atmosphere. There are also a number of entirely human-made GHGs in the atmosphere, such as the halocarbons and other chlorine- and bromine-containing substances, managed under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol). Besides CO2, N2O and CH4, the Kyoto Protocol deals with the GHGs sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).
Source: Concepts; J Wilcox, B Kolosz, & J Freeman (2021) CDR Primer
Global Warming Potential (GWP)
Greenhouse Gas | Formula | 100-year GWP (AR4) | |
---|---|---|---|
Carbon dioxide | CO2 | 1 | |
Methane | CH4 | 25 | |
Nitrous oxide | N2O | 298 | |
Sulphur hexafluoride | SF6 | 22,800 | |
Hydrofluorocarbon-23 | CHF3 | 14,800 | |
Hydrofluorocarbon-32 | CH2F2 | 675 | |
Perfluoromethane | CF4 | 7,390 | |
Perfluoroethane | C2F6 | 12,200 | |
Perfluoropropane | C3F8 | 8,830 | |
Perfluorobutane | C4F10 | 8,860 | |
Perfluorocyclobutane | c-C4F8 | 10,300 | |
Perfluoropentane | C5F12 | 13,300 | |
Perfluorohexane | C6F14 | 9,300 |
NOTE: The GWP values were changed in 2007. The values in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) in 2007 were refined from the IPCC Second Assessment Report (SAR) values used previously and still in much of the literature. – https://climatechangeconnection.org/emissions/co2-equivalents/