Carbon Dioxide Equivalent Article Index for
Carbon Dioxide
Website Links For
Carbon
 

Information About

Carbon Dioxide Equivalent




The CO2e of an amount used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon the amount of carbon dioxide that would have the same Global Warming Potential (GWP), measured over a specified timescale (generally, 100 years) for emissions or current GWP for existing GHG concentrations.

Carbon dioxide equivalents (CDE) are commonly expressed:
  • By the UN climate change panel IPCC as billion Metric Tonne s of CO2 equivalent (GtCO2eq).

  • In industry as million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (MMTCDE).

  • In vehicles as G of carbon dioxide equivalents / Km (gCDE/km).


The carbon dioxide equivalent for a gas is derived by multiplying the mass of the gas by the associated GWP.

  • (GWP of the gas).

  • (GWP of the gas).


For example, the GWP for methane is 21 and for nitrous oxide 310. This means that emissions of 1 million metric tonnes of methane and nitrous oxide respectively is equivalent to emissions of 21 and 310 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide.


SEE ALSO




REFERENCES