Global warming potential
Global warming potential is a measurement, based around CO2, of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere. It is often abbreviated GWP. Because the scale is based around carbon dioxide, CO2 has a value of 1. The higher the GWP, the more heat a gas traps, so the higher the GWP the more harm it has on the climate.
The chart below does not take into account the complicated factors involved on how long a gas stays in the atmosphere. This is a significant effect, for example CO2 has a much longer residence time than methane, decreasing the gap between them of how much heat they will trap in their respective lifetimes.
Common GWP values[1][2]
| Gas | Chemical formula | Atmospheric lifetime (years) | GWP value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide | CO2 | -* | 1 |
| Methane | CH4 | 12 | 21 |
| Nitrous oxide | N2O | 114 | 310 |
| Ammonia[3] | NH3 | <2 hours | 0 |
| Nitrogen trifluoride | NF3 | 740 | 10,970 |
*Calculating the atmospheric lifetime of CO2 is extremely complex. If you'd like to learn about it, click here.