Revealing the global emission gaps for fully fluorinated greenhouse gases

Abstract

In response to the global trend of climate change, it is important to accurately quantify emissions of fully fluorinated greenhouse gases (FFGHGs, referring to SF₆/NF₃/CF₄/C₂F₆/C₃F₈/c-C₄F₈ here). Atmospheric observation-based top-down methods and activity-based bottom-up methods are usually used together to estimate FFGHG emissions at the global and regional levels. In this work, emission gaps at global and regional levels are discussed among top-down studies, between the top-down and bottom-up FFGHG emissions, and among bottom-up emissions. Generally, trends and magnitudes of individual FFGHG emissions among top-down estimates are close to each other within the uncertainties. However, global bottom-up inventories show discrepancies in FFGHG emissions among each other in trends and magnitudes. The differences in emission magnitudes are up to 93%, 90%, 88%, 83%, 87%, and 85% for SF₆, NF₃, CF₄, C₂F₆, C₃F₈, and c-C₄F₈, respectively. Besides, we reveal the insufficient regional TD studies and the lack of atmospheric observation data/stations especially in areas with potential FFGHG emissions. We make recommendations regarding the best practices for improving our understanding of these emissions, including both top-down and bottom-up methods.