The Global Warming Potential is reported relative to which gas?

The Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a measure used to compare the ability of different greenhouse gases to trap heat in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is considered the baseline against which other gases are measured, given its significant presence and role in climate change. Its GWP is defined as 1. This means that the GWP of other gases is expressed in relation to carbon dioxide to provide a standardized scale for understanding their impact on global warming over a specified time frame, typically 100 years.

Other gases like methane and nitrous oxide have higher GWPs compared to carbon dioxide, indicating that they are more effective at trapping heat, but they are still expressed in relation to carbon dioxide. This standardization helps policymakers and scientists assess and compare the environmental impacts of various emissions from a common reference point.