Carbon Dioxide Equivalent

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-004160",
  "term": "Carbon Dioxide Equivalent",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. Emissions of greenhouse gases are typically expressed in a common metric so that their impacts can be directly compared, as some gases are more potent (i.e., have a higher global warming potential) than others. The international standard practice is to express greenhouse gases in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e).\n\n2. A metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP). Carbon dioxide equivalents are commonly expressed as \"million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MMTCO2Eq).\" The carbon dioxide equivalent for a gas is derived by multiplying the tons of the gas by the associated GWP.\n\n3. A unit of measurement that can be used to compare the emissions of various greenhouse gases based on how long they stay in the atmosphere and how much heat they can trap. For example, over a period of 100 years, 1 pound of methane will trap as much heat as 21 pounds of carbon dioxide. Thus, 1 pound of methane is equal to 21 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents.\n\n4. A metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP). Carbon dioxide equivalents are commonly expressed as \"million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MMTCO₂Eq).\" The carbon dioxide equivalent for a gas is derived by multiplying the tons of the gas by the associated GWP. MMTCO₂Eq = (million metric tons of a gas) * (GWP of the gas) See greenhouse gas, global warming potential, metric ton.\n\n5. A metric measure used to compare the emissions of the different greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP). Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are most commonly expressed as \"teragrams of carbon dioxide equivalents\" (Tg CO2 Eq.). Global warming potentials are used to convert greenhouse gases to carbon dioxide equivalents. See global warming potential, greenhouse gas.\n\n6. Number of metric tons of CO2 emissions with the same global warming potential as one metric ton of another greenhouse gas, and is calculated using Equation A-1 of this subpart.\n\n7. Metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP). Carbon dioxide equivalents are commonly expressed as \"million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MMTCO2Eq).\" The carbon dioxide equivalent for a gas is derived by multiplying the tons of the gas by the associated GWP.",
  "abbreviation": "CO₂e",
  "synonyms": [
    "CO₂ Eq.",
    "CO2e"
  ],
  "subject": "Climate change",
  "references": [
    "Greening EPA Glossary",
    "State and Local Climate and Energy Program Glossary of Terms",
    "Student's Guide to Global Climate Change",
    "Glossary of Climate Change Terms",
    "Greenhouse Gas Emissions",
    "40 CFR 98.6 (CFR 2013)",
    "State and Local Climate and Energy Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/carbon-dioxide-equivalent/"
}