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Greenhouse Gas Equivalent Calculator

Work out greenhouse gas equivalent instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Greenhouse Gas Equivalent Calculator

Global warming potential expresses a gas's warming effect over 100 years relative to carbon dioxide. Methane's GWP100 of 28 means 5 kg is equivalent to 140 kg of CO2, while sulfur hexafluoride at 23,500 makes even tiny leaks significant. Methane's 20 year GWP is much higher at about 84, because it decays within roughly a decade.

Formulas

Carbon dioxide equivalent

CO2e = mass x GWP

GWP100 values

methane 28, nitrous oxide 265, HFC-134a 1300, SF6 23500

Worked example

With the default values below, Greenhouse Gas Equivalent Calculator returns Carbon Dioxide Equivalent of 140.0. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Mass of gas releasedminimum 0 kg
5 kg
Greenhouse gasone of Methane (GWP100 = 28), Nitrous oxide (GWP100 = 265), HFC-134a (GWP100 = 1300), Sulfur hexafluoride (GWP100 = 23500), Carbon dioxide (GWP = 1)
Methane (GWP100 = 28)

Results

Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
140.0 kg CO2e
Global Warming Potential Applied
28
Same Figure In Tonnes
0.1400
Equivalent Litres Of Petrol
60.6

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Carbon dioxide equivalent
  3. 3GWP100 values
  4. 4Carbon Dioxide Equivalent= 140.0 kg CO2e
  5. 5Global Warming Potential Applied= 28
  6. 6Same Figure In Tonnes= 0.1400
  7. 7Equivalent Litres Of Petrol= 60.6

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the time horizon matter?

Because methane breaks down in about a decade. Over 20 years its GWP is around 84, over 100 years only 28.

Why is SF6 so potent?

It is extremely infrared-absorbent and atmospherically inert, with a lifetime of about 3200 years, so emissions accumulate essentially permanently.

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