logo

Video encyclopedia

Global warming potential

3:51

CDP Part 3: Global Warming Potential Explained

1:40

What is Global Warming Potential?

2:51

What is GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL? What does GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL mean?

1:24

What Is Global Warming Potential (GWP)?

1:56

Global Warming Potential and CO2 equivalent explained

Global warming potential (GWP) is a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere. It compares the amount of heat trapped by a certain mass of the gas in question to the amount of heat trapped by a similar mass of carbon dioxide. A GWP is calculated over a specific time interval, commonly 20, 100, or 500 years. GWP is expressed as a factor of carbon dioxide. In the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, methane has a lifetime of 12.4 years and with climate-carbon feedbacks a global warming potential of 86 over 20 years and 34 over 100 years in response to emissions. User related choices such as the time horizon can greatly affect the numerical values obtained for carbon dioxide equivalents. For a change in time horizon from 20 to 100 years, the GWP for methane decreases by a factor of approximately 2.5. The substances subject to restrictions under the Kyoto protocol are either rapidly increasing their concentrations in Earth's atmosphere or have a large GWP.