Author: Curt Hull (after IPCC) Page 1 of 4 Printed: 2009-08-07 

GWP AR4.doc Property of Manitoba Eco Network 

GHG Lifetimes and GWPs 

For ozone-depleting substances and their replacements

Summary 

The tables below show the lifetimes and direct (except for CH4) 100-year global warming 

potentials (GWP) relative to CO2 for ozone-depleting substances and their replacements. These 

tables are from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Fourth Assessment 

Report (AR4), Working Group 1, Chapter 2, Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in 

Radiative Forcing, Table 2.14, page 212, 

http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_wg1_report_the_physical_science_basis.htm 

Tables 

 Note: The values for global warming potential in the AR4 WG1 Technical 

Summary reflect radiative forcing estimates and lifetimes that are improvements 

upon the values used in the IPCC Second Assessment Report (SAR) but which are 

still widely cited. 

Key greenhouse gases (GHG) 

Designation or Name Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

Carbon dioxide CO2 Note 1 1 1 

Methane CH4 12 2 21 25 

Nitrous oxide N2O 114 310 298 

Substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol 

Designation or Name Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

CFC-11 CCl3F 45 3,800 4,750 

CFC-12 CCl2F2 100 8,100 10,900 

CFC-13 CClF3 640 10,800 16,400 

CFC-113 CCl2FCClF2 85 4,800 6,130 

CFC-114 CClF2CClF2 300 8,040 8,730 

CFC-115 CClF2CF3 1,700 5,310 9,990 

 

1

 The CO2 response function used in this report is based on the revised version of the Bern Carbon 

Cycle Model using a background CO2 concentration value of 378 ppm. (See CO2 residence time 

graphs following) 

2

 The perturbation lifetime for methane is 12 years as in the IPCC Third Assessment Report 

(TAR). The GWP for methane includes indirect effects from enhancements of ozone and 

stratospheric water vapour. 
Author: Curt Hull (after IPCC) Page 2 of 4 Printed: 2009-08-07 

GWP AR4.doc Property of Manitoba Eco Network 

Designation or Name Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

Halon-1301 CBrF3 65 5,400 7,140 

Halon-1211 CBrClF2 16 4,750 575 

Halon-2402 CBrF2CBrF2 20 3,680 503 

Carbon tetrachloride CCl4 26 1,400 1,400 

Methyl bromide CH3Br 0.7 17 1 

Methyl chloroform CH3CCl3 5 506 45 

HCFC-22 CHClF2 12 1,500 1,810 

HCFC-123 CHCl2CF3 1.3 90 77 

HCFC-124 CHClFCF3 5.8 470 609 

HCFC-141b CH3CCl2F 9.3 2,250 220 

HCFC-142b CH3CClF2 17.9 1,800 2,310 

HCFC-225ca CHCl2CF2CF3 1.9 429 37 

HCFC-225cb CHClFCF2CClF2 5.8 2,030 181 

Hydrofluorocarbons 

Designation or Name Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

HFC-23 CHF3 270 11,700 14,800 

HFC-32 CH2F2 4.9 650 675 

HFC-125 CHF2CF3 29 2,800 3,500 

HFC-134a CH2FCF3 14 1,300 1,430 

HFC-143a CH3CF3 52 3,800 4,470 

HFC-152a CH3CHF2 1.4 140 124 

HFC-227ea CF3CHFCF3 34.2 2,900 3,220 

HFC-236fa CF3CH2CF3 240 6,300 9,810 

HFC-245fa CHF2CH2CF3 7.6 3,380 314 

HFC-365mfc CH3CF2CH2CF3 8.6 2,520 241 

HFC-43-10mee CF3CHFCHFCF2C

F3

15.9 1,300 1,640 

Perfluorinated compounds 

Designation or Name Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

Sulphur hexafluoride SF6 3,200 23,900 22,800 

Nitrogen trifluoride NF3 740 12,300 20,700 

PFC-14 CF4 50,000 6,500 7,390 

PFC-116 C2F6 10,000 9,200 12,200 

PFC-218 C3F8 2,600 7,000 8,830 
Author: Curt Hull (after IPCC) Page 3 of 4 Printed: 2009-08-07 

GWP AR4.doc Property of Manitoba Eco Network 

Designation or Name Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

PFC-318 c-C4F8 3,200 8,700 10,300 

PFC-3-1-10 C4F10 2,600 7,000 8,860 

PFC-4-1-12 C5F12 4,100 6,510 13,300 

PFC-5-1-14 C6F14 3,200 7,400 9,300 

PFC-9-1-18 C10F18 >1,000d >5,500 >9,500 

trifluoromethyl sulphur 

pentafluoride 

SF5CF3 800 13,200 21,200 

Fluorinated ethers 

Designation or 

Name 

Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

HFE-125 CHF2OCF3 136 13,800 8,490 

HFE-134 CHF2OCHF2 26 12,200 1,960 

HFE-143a CH3OCF3 4.3 2,630 230 

HCFE-235da2 CHF2OCHClCF3 2.6 1,230 106 

HFE-245cb2 CH3OCF2CHF2 5.1 2,440 215 

HFE-245fa2 CHF2OCH2CF3 4.9 2,280 200 

HFE-254cb2 CH3OCF2CHF2 2.6 1,260 109 

HFE-347mcc3 CH3OCF2CF2CF3 5.2 1,980 175 

HFE-347pcf2 CHF2CF2OCH2CF3 7.1 1,900 175 

HFE-356pcc3 CH3OCF2CF2CHF2 0.33 386 33 

HFE-449sl C4F9OCH3 3.8 1,040 90 

HFE-569sf2 C4F9OC2H5 0.77 207 18 

HFE-43-10pccc124 CHF2OCF2OC2F4OCHF2 6.3 6,320 569 

HFE-236ca12 CHF2OCF2OCHF2 12.1 8,000 860 

HFE-338pcc13 CHF2OCF2CF2OCHF2 6.2 5,100 460 

Perfluoropolyethers 

Designation or 

Name 

Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

PFPMIE CF3OCF(CF3)CF2OCF2

OCF3

800 7,620 12,400 

Hydrocarbons and other compounds - Direct Effects 

Designation or 

Name 

Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

Dimethylether CH3OCH3 0.015 1 <<1 

Methylene chloride CH2Cl2 0.38 31 2.7 
Author: Curt Hull (after IPCC) Page 4 of 4 Printed: 2009-08-07 

GWP AR4.doc Property of Manitoba Eco Network 

Designation or 

Name 

Chemical formula Lifetime 

(years) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(SAR) 

100 yr 

GWP 

(AR4) 

Methyl chloride CH3Cl 1.0 45 4 

CO2 residence time graphs 

The figure below shows the degree to which carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions persist in 

the atmosphere over time. The lifetime of a gas in the atmosphere is generally known as 

its "residence time", but unlike other greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide does not undergo 

a simple decline over a single predictable timescale. Instead, the excess carbon is first 

diluted by the carbon cycle as it mixes into the oceans and biosphere (e.g. plants) over a 

period of a few hundred years, and then it is slowly removed over hundreds of thousands 

of years as it is gradually incorporated into carbonate rocks. 3

 

3

 Global Warming Art, image created by Robert A. Rohde, 

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Image:Carbon_Dioxide_Residence_Time_png