greenhouse gas

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WOTD – 5 June 2024
A diagram showing how a planet like the Earth is warmed by sunlight and emits infrared radiation, which is then absorbed by greenhouse gases—in this case, carbon dioxide (CO₂), water vapour (H₂O), and methane (CH₄). This then heats the Earth’s surface.

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Noun

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greenhouse gas (countable and uncountable, plural greenhouse gases)

  1. Any gas (such as carbon dioxide, a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), or methane) that contributes to the greenhouse effect when released into the atmosphere by absorbing infrared radiation emitted by a planet's surface, thus increasing the surface temperature.
    Hyponyms: carbon dioxide, CFC, HCFC, HFC, methane, nitrous oxide, NOx, ozone, water vapor
    Termites and cows account for much greenhouse gas.
    Only two greenhouse gases get much attention.
    • 1983, “Summary of Significant Achievements in Principal Thrusts FY 1983”, in National Climate Program: 1983 National Report, Rockville, Md.: National Climate Program Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 22, column 1:
      Models of the climate system serve as the primary means for developing quantitative estimates of the effects of increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other trace gases. Since increases in the concentrations of CO₂ and other "greenhouse" gases lead to changes in the radiation field, the treatment of radiative processes is the natural starting point for comparison of model studies.
    • 1986, R. T. Watson, M. A. Geller, R. S. Stolarski, R. F. Hampson, “Trace Gas Effects and Climate”, in Present State of Knowledge of the Upper Atmosphere: An Assessment Report (NASA Reference Publication; 1162), Washington, D.C.: Scientific and Technical Information Branch, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, →OCLC, page 118:
      CFC's are very efficient greenhouse gases. The addition of one molecule each of CFC-11 and CFC-12 gives a greenhouse warming of more than 10⁴ molecules of CO₂.
    • 1991, Warren Williams, “Book Reviews: Impact of Carbon Dioxide, Trace Gases, and Climate Change on Global Agriculture. Edited by B. A. Kimball, Chair … (et al.) Published in 1990 by American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America, 677 South Segoe Road, Madison WI 53711, USA. ASA Special Publication Number 53, 133 Pages, 8 Chapters.”, in Gill Sutherland, Sandra Stanislawek, editors, New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, volume 34, number 3, Wellington: Scientific and Industrial Research Publishing of New Zealand, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 364, column 1:
      Biological scientists are aware that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide and trace gas concentrations would also have direct effects on plant growth as well as indirect effects through warming. […] Consideration of potential impacts must include the direct effects of "greenhouse" gas concentrations as well as climate warming.
    • 2015, Steven A. Ackerman, John A. Knox, “Climate Forecasting”, in Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere, 4th edition, Burlington, Mass.: Jones & Bartlett Learning, →ISBN, page 520:
      Rapidly developing nations such as China and India are not required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, despite their large and growing use of fossil fuels.
    • 2019 March 7, George Monbiot, “Cars are killing us. Within 10 years, we must phase them out”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-05-11:
      In other sectors, greenhouse gas emissions have fallen sharply. But transport emissions in the UK have declined by only 2% since 1990.
    • 2022, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, “A Wealthier but Riskier World”, in Reclaiming Our Future: A Common Agenda for Advancing Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific, New York, N.Y.: United Nations, →ISBN, page 5, column 1:
      To keep the world within the 1.5°C temperature rise, the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] has recommended that by 2030, greenhouse gas emissions be cut to 45 per cent below the 2010 levels.
    • 2023 March 22, “Industry Insider” [pseudonym], “Restoring Your Railway”, in Rail, number 979, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 68:
      The consequences were catalogued by the Royal Commission for Environmental Pollution in 1994, which recommended several measures to constrain the emission of greenhouse gases.

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