Greenhouse gases are people who lure warmth within the environment. SF6 and different fluorinated gases will be 1000’s of occasions extra highly effective at warming the planet than carbon dioxide, and but, as a result of they have a tendency to flee in comparatively small quantities, we hardly discuss them. Taken alone, their results could be minor in contrast with these of carbon dioxide, however collectively, these gases add considerably to the problem of addressing local weather change.
For extra on the specifics of sulfur hexafluoride, take a look at my story from earlier this week. And within the meantime, right here’s a fast cheat sheet on crucial greenhouse gases it’s good to find out about.
Carbon dioxide: The main actor
I couldn’t in good conscience put collectively a listing of greenhouse gases and never a minimum of point out the massive one. Human actions launched 37.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the environment in 2023. It’s probably the most plentiful greenhouse fuel we emit, and probably the most important one driving local weather change.
It’s tough to nail down precisely how lengthy CO2 stays within the environment, because the fuel participates in a worldwide carbon cycle—some will instantly be soaked up by oceans, forests, or different ecosystems, whereas the remaining lingers within the environment for hundreds of years.
Carbon dioxide comes from practically each nook of our financial system—the biggest supply is energy vegetation, adopted by transportation after which industrial actions.
Methane: The flash within the pan
Methane can be a robust contributor to local weather change, making up about 30% of the warming we’ve skilled so far, although carbon dioxide is roughly 200 occasions extra plentiful within the environment.