The GWP value depends on how the gas concentration decays over time in the atmosphere. This is often not precisely known and hence the values should not be considered exact. For this reason when quoting a GWP it is important to give a reference to the calculation. Commonly, a time scale of 100 years is used by regulators.

So it’s an educated guess that has lots of flaws just like I said. GHG emissions comparisons between output methods is ridiculous. Because again, water is a GHG emission.

How is CO2 equivalent measured based on altitude and since methane will eventually degrade to CO2?

This seems really problematic for comparing different types of GHG emissions and gauging what type has the most contribution to global warming.

Can I ask how methane is a net emission with water and carbon dioxide? They all affect the planet differently while also being “GHG emissions”

I’d also like to add after thinking about it how the location of these emissions also matters. Jet planes have a larger impact with their emissions over other travel in part because the higher altitude increases the greenhouse potential of its emissions. So again, if we just count “GHG emissions” as if the tons of GHG emitted is the only factor not the duration the gas exists in the atmosphere, the location of emission, or if it is dumping sequestered carbon.

Because if we look at how cows produce methane, it’s the bacteria in the Cow’s stomach that produces that methane, bacteria that would produce methane on rotting biomass as well. What’s the actual net difference between natural decay and accelerated cow digestion. There’s lots of agricultural produce like bananas where a meaningful amount of production goes to waste and decays. Is this waste and the emissions that happen from the waste accounted in the “GHG emissions” of eating bananas?

This is all before getting into weird GHGs like sulfur hexafluoride as it has a global warming potential 23 thousand times higher than carbon dioxide. So are we counting it by the ton as if it is the same as carbon dioxide by the ton?

This is why I say emissions are not a cover-all and I’m tired of them being compared equally

Also, the food I eat was already in the carbon cycle. The food (energy) datacenters eat is mostly sequestered carbon, not all emissions are the same. Hell, if we want to get into it fucking water vapor is a greenhouse gas.