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Greenhouse gas |
Description |
|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | A naturally occurring gas produced by living organisms and fermentation, CO2 is also produced by the burning (combustion) of hydrocarbon based fuels. CO2 is also generated from deforestation, biomass burning, and industrial processes such as aluminium smelting and lime production. |
| Methane (CH4) | A naturally occurring, flammable gas emitted by geological coal formations and by the decomposition of organic matter. Main sources of CH4 emissions include: enteric fermentation1, manure management, biomass burning, natural gas delivery systems, landfills, and coal mining. |
| Nitrous oxide (N2O) | Naturally occurring from microbial action in soil N2O is also emitted by the application of nitrogen fertilizers, soil cultivation, production of nitric acid and adipic acid and the combustion of fossil fuels and wood. |
| Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) | A colorless gas soluble in alcohol and slightly soluble in water. It is mainly applied as cover gas in the production of magnesium. It can also be used as insulating material for high-voltage transformers and circuit breakers. |
| Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) | Synthetic chemicals composed of carbon and fluorine with high global warming potentials and atmospheric lifetimes of up to 50 000 years. PFCs are principally emitted as by-products during aluminium smelting. |
| Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) | Synthetic chemicals containing carbon, hydrogen, and fluorine. HFCs are used in various applications, such as air conditioning systems, refrigeration systems, firefighting agents, aerosols, and foam-blowing agents. |
| 1. The digestion of carbohydrates by organisms in livestock. | |
| Sources: Derived from the Global Development Research Centre: Urban Environmental Management- Urban Waste Management GHG definitions and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) glossary. | |
| Table source: Statistics Canada, 2006, Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Indicator – Data Sources and Methods, Catalogue number 16-255-XWE2006000. | |