Greenhouse Gases (GHG)

Greenhouse gases (also known as GHGs) are gases in the earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. GHG’s include naturally produced gases (Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane, Nitrous oxide and Water vapour) – naturally produced, but their increasing atmospheric concentration is man-made. And three industrial fluorinated gases (hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)) – solely man-made during industrial processes and though they are present in very small concentrations in the atmosphere, they trap heat very effectively, meaning they are extremely potent. SF6, which is used in high-voltage electricity equipment, has a ‘Global Warming Potential’ 23,000 times greater than CO2.