General Article Overview of greenhouse gases

Topic Selected: Climate Change
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Introduction

The GHG inventory covers the seven direct greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol:

  • Carbon dioxide (CO2)
  • Methane (CH4)
  • Nitrous oxide (N2O)
  • Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
  • Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
  • Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
  • Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)

These gases contribute directly to climate change owing to their positive radiative forcing effect. HFCs, PFCs, SF6 and NF3 are collectively known as the ‘F-gases’.

In general terms, the largest contributor to global warming is carbon dioxide which makes it the focus of many climate change initiatives. Methane and nitrous oxide contribute to a smaller proportion, typically <10%, and the contribution of F-gases is even smaller (in spite of their high Global Warming Potentials) at <5% of the total.

Also reported are four indirect greenhouse gases:

  • Nitrogen oxides
  • Carbon monoxide
  • Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC)
  • Sulphur dioxide.

Nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and NMVOCs are included in the inventory because they c...

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