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Considerable contribution of the Montreal Protocol to declining greenhouse gas emissions from the United States
Author(s) -
Hu Lei,
Montzka Stephen A.,
Lehman Scott J.,
Godwin David S.,
Miller Benjamin R.,
Andrews Arlyn E.,
Thoning Kirk,
Miller John B.,
Sweeney Colm,
Siso Caroline,
Elkins James W.,
Hall Bradley D.,
Mondeel Debra J.,
Nance David,
Nehrkorn Thomas,
Mountain Marikate,
Fischer Marc L.,
Biraud Sébastien C.,
Chen Huilin,
Tans Pieter P.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl074388
Subject(s) - greenhouse gas , montreal protocol , environmental science , kyoto protocol , atmospheric sciences , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric emissions , climatology , ozone , ozone layer , meteorology , geography , ecology , geology , biology
Ozone depleting substances (ODSs) controlled by the Montreal Protocol are potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), as are their substitutes, the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Here we provide for the first time a comprehensive estimate of U.S. emissions of ODSs and HFCs based on precise measurements in discrete air samples from across North America and in the remote atmosphere. Derived emissions show spatial and seasonal variations qualitatively consistent with known uses and largely confirm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) national emissions inventories for most gases. The measurement‐based results further indicate a substantial decline of ODS emissions from 2008 to 2014, equivalent to ~50% of the CO 2 ‐equivalent decline in combined emissions of CO 2 and all other long‐lived GHGs inventoried by the EPA for the same period. Total estimated CO 2 ‐equivalent emissions of HFCs were comparable to the sum of ODS emissions in 2014, but can be expected to decline in the future in response to recent policy measures.