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Briefing Rooms

Global Climate Change: Questions and Answers

Table 1—Examples of greenhouse gases affected by human activities
   Carbon dioxide (CO2) Methane(CH4) Nitrous oxide(N2O)
Pre-industrial concentration  280 ppmv  700 ppbv  275 ppbv
Concentration in 1994  358 ppmv  1720 ppbv  312 ppbv2
Rate of concentration change1  1.5 ppmv/yr  10 ppbv/yr  0.8 ppbv/yr
Atmospheric lifetime (years)  50-2003  124  120

ppmv = part per million volume; ppbv = part per billion volume

1 The growth rates of CO2, CH4, and N2O are averaged over the decade beginning in 1984.
2 Estimated from 1992-1993 data.
3 No single lifetime for CO2 can be defined because of the different rates of uptake by different processes.
4 Defined as an adjustment time which takes into account the indirect effects of methane on its own lifetime.
Source: IPCC, 1995

For more information, contact: Robert Johansson

Web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov

Updated date: December 12, 2000