Indicate separate contributions of long-lived and short-lived greenhouse gases in emission targets
Myles Allen, Glen P. Peters, Keith P. Shine, Christian Azar, Paul Balcombe, Oliviér Boucher, Michelle Cain, Philippe Ciais, W. J. Collins, Piers Forster, David J. Frame, Pierre Friedlingstein, Claire Fyson, Thomas Gasser, Bill Hare, Stuart Jenkins, Steven P. Hamburg, Daniel Johansson, John Lynch, Adrian Macey, Johannes Morfeldt, Alexander Nauels, Ilissa Ocko, Michael Oppenheimer, Stephen W. Pacala, Raymond T. Pierrehumbert, Joeri Rogelj, Michiel Schaeffer, Carl‐Friedrich Schleussner, Drew Shindell, Ragnhild Bieltvedt Skeie, Stephen M. Smith, Katsumasa Tanaka
Abstract
As researchers who have published over recent years on the issue of comparing the climate effects of different greenhouse gases, we would like to highlight a simple innovation that would enhance the transparency of stocktakes of progress towards achieving any multi-decade-timescale global temperature goal. In addition to specifying targets for total CO 2 -equivalent emissions of all greenhouse gases, governments and corporations could also indicate the separate contribution to these totals from greenhouse gases with lifetimes around 100 years or longer, notably CO 2 and nitrous oxide, and the contribution from Short-Lived Climate Forcers (SLCFs), notably methane and some hydrofluorocarbons. This separate indication would support an objective assessment of the implications of aggregated emission targets for global temperature, in alignment with the UNFCCC Parties’ Decision (4/CMA.1) 1 to provide “information necessary for clarity, transparency and understanding” in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and long-term low-emission development strategies (LT-LEDSs).