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  1. Home
  2. Essential Climate Variables
  3. Carbon Dioxide, Methane & Other Greenhouse Gases

Download shortened print version of ECV factsheet (pdf) here.


Data Sources

ECV Products and Requirements


Carbon Dioxide, Methane & Other Greenhouse Gases

The atmospheric abundance of carbon dioxide (CO2), the dominant human-produced greenhouse gas, has increased by about 50% since pre-industrial times due to the proliferation of fossil fuel combustion. Methane (CH4) is also a strong greenhouse gas; its atmospheric abundance has more than doubled since the pre-industrial era because of human activities. Other significant greenhouse gases include nitrous oxide (N2O), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
  Domain: Atmosphere
  Subdomain: Atmospheric Composition
  Scientific Area: Carbon cycle and other GHGs
  ECV Steward: Paolo Laj, Dale Hurst
  ECV Product: Tropospheric CO2 column; Tropospheric CO2; Tropospheric CH4 column; Tropospheric CH4; Stratospheric CH4

 


Atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa

Figure: Monthly mean atmospheric carbon dioxide at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii

Source: Data are reported as a dry mole fraction defined as the number of molecules of CO2 divided by the number of molecules of dry air multiplied by one million (ppm).


 

 

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