GHG stands for greenhouse gas. It refers to any gas in the Earth's atmosphere that traps and absorbs heat, contributing to the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a natural process that allows the Earth to maintain a stable and warm temperature, essential for supporting life. However, the increased concentration of certain gases in the atmosphere, also known as greenhouse gases, is causing an enhanced greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate change.
These gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), fluorinated gases, and others. GHGs are primarily released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities, such as burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), deforestation, and industrial processes. The accumulation of GHGs amplifies the natural warming effect, causing an increase in global temperatures, changing weather patterns, rising sea levels, and numerous environmental impacts.
Monitoring and reducing GHG emissions is a crucial task for mitigating climate change and its associated risks. International efforts, such as the Paris Agreement, aim to limit the average global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This requires significant reduction in GHG emissions and transitioning to cleaner and renewable energy sources to prevent further damage to the planet's ecosystems and human societies.
