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Is CO2 the only gas with global warming potential?

No, there are a multitude of gasses that contribute to global warming, and therefore are greenhouse gasses amongst them; we have nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3). Also, man has synthesized non-natural compounds, such as Per fluorocarbons gasses (CFCs, HFCs, PFCs and SF6), which have a high global warming potential. It should be noted that not all these gasses are included in the Kyoto Protocol.

Have all the greenhouse gasses effect the same warming potential?

No, they don’t. In order to conduct significant comparisons amongst the warming effects of each one of them, the concept of CO2 equivalent has been established. Carbon dioxide is established as the universal measure based on the global warming potential of each of the GHGs. CO2 equivalent measured by a gas is obtained by multiplying the volume of gas by its GWP (global warming potential) .The methane GWP is 21, this means that one tonne of methane has a global warming potential equal to 21 tonnes of CO2. SF6 has a GWP of 22,200 so a ton of SF6 equivalent to 22,200 tons of CO2.

What are the gasses included in the Kyoto Protocol?

Gases with ability to absorb solar radiation (GHG) included in the Kyoto Protocol are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), plus three fluorinated industrial gasses: hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs), per fluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). The Kyoto Protocol provides a reduction in emissions as a percentage of approximately 5% within 2008 to 2012, compared with the emissions in 1990.

Is the hole in the ozone layer the cause of climate change?

Even though both problems are linked to the atmosphere, climate change is not caused by the hole in the ozone layer. The cause of climate change is the greenhouse gas effect caused by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) in human activities (electricity, heating, air conditioning, transport, manufacture of containers, etc.).

What are the main problems related to the ozone?

Ozone, a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms, is related to two very different problems: the depletion of the ozone layer (stratospheric ozone) and the formation of ozone in the earth´s surface (ground-level ozone).

Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer: 90% of ozone land is in the ozone layer. The ozone layer in the stratosphere is about 15-40 km on the earth's surface. This layer has the duty to protect all forms of life from ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun (UV). In recent years part of this layer has been destroyed by the action of chemicals (CFCs and HCFCs), used for refrigeration and in some industrial uses, thus allowing a higher percentage of UV radiation to reach the earth's surface. This type of radiation causes skin cancer, cataracts and other harmful effects on plants and animals, can also cause reductions in crop fields, disruptions in marine food chains, etc. Nowadays and thanks to efforts to prevent the use of CFCs, the ozone layer is beginning to recover but it does so at a very slow pace because the chemicals that cause their destruction have a very high life-span in the atmosphere.
Formation of ozone in the earth's surface: the same ozone molecules responsible for protecting us from UV radiation in the stratosphere can cause health problems in humans and animals when they are formed near the surface of the earth. This ozone, known as ground-level ozone is formed when gasses from vehicles and industrial plants are mixed in the presence of intense solar radiation. When ozone concentration become quite high it makes difficult to breathe particularly to people with asthma and respiratory illnesses.

Has energy efficiency improvement any impact in greenhouse gasses emissions?

The improvement of energy efficiency implies a reduction of CO2 emissions. The Green Paper on Energy Efficiency of the European Commission (2005) considers energy savings as the quickest, most efficient and most economical way to reduce greenhouse gasses emissions, as well as the improvement of air quality.

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