Greenhouse Gas Science & Metrics
What is Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)?
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, serving as the baseline against which all other greenhouse gases are measured.
Sentinel Earth helps buyers understand how carbon dioxide removal differs from emission reduction, ensuring carbon credit strategies align with net-zero pathways.
What is Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO₂e)?
Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) is the standard unit that expresses the warming impact of all greenhouse gases in terms of the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide, enabling comparison across different gases using global warming potential.
Sentinel Earth ensures all carbon credits procured represent verified tonnes of CO₂e reduced or removed, using standardized measurement protocols for transparency and accuracy.
What is Greenhouse Gas (GHG)?
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are atmospheric gases that trap heat from the sun, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, causing the greenhouse effect that leads to global warming and climate change.
Sentinel Earth helps buyers understand which greenhouse gases are covered by different carbon projects and methodologies, ensuring comprehensive climate impact accounting.
What is Methane (CH₄)?
Methane (CH₄) is a potent greenhouse gas with 28-84 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over different time periods, emitted from agriculture, fossil fuel production, waste decomposition, and wetlands.
Sentinel Earth develops and sources methane destruction and avoidance projects, including landfill gas capture, livestock management, and fugitive emission reduction, that deliver significant climate benefits per tonne reduced.
What is Nitrous Oxide (N₂O)?
Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a long-lasting greenhouse gas with 265-298 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide, primarily emitted from agricultural soils, fertilizer production and use, and industrial processes.
Sentinel Earth's agricultural carbon projects reduce nitrous oxide emissions through improved nutrient management practices, quantifying N₂O reductions alongside soil carbon sequestration for comprehensive climate benefits.
What is Global Warming Potential (GWP)?
Global warming potential (GWP) measures how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide over a specific time period (typically 100 years), enabling comparison of different gases using CO₂e.
Sentinel Earth ensures all carbon credits properly account for GWP across greenhouse gases, using IPCC-standardized values to convert methane, nitrous oxide, and other emissions to CO₂e equivalents.
What is Metric Tonne?
A metric tonne (also spelled metric ton) is a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms or approximately 2,204 pounds; in carbon markets, one carbon credit represents one metric tonne of CO₂e reduced or removed.
Sentinel Earth ensures all carbon credit transactions are denominated in standard metric tonnes of CO₂e, maintaining consistency across projects, registries, and reporting frameworks.