Global warming potential (GWP) 2021, by gas type
Global warming potential measures how much heat a greenhouse gas (GHG) is capable of trapping in the atmosphere, using one metric ton of carbon dioxide as a baseline. GWP are defined on a range of time-periods, but the most commonly used metric is the 100-year timescale (GWP100). This looks at the GWP of GHGs over 100 years. For example, nitrous oxide, which accounts for six percent of global GHG emissions, has a GWP of 273. This means that one metric ton of nitrous oxide is equivalent to 273 metric tons of carbon dioxide, making it far more potent than carbon dioxide.
