Nitrous Oxide: A Powerful Greenhouse Gas Threatening Our Climate and Ozone Layer

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the third largest greenhouse gas. Although it only accounts for 6% of greenhouse gases, its global warming potential is 273 times higher than that of CO2. It can persist in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, and N2O entering the stratosphere can undergo photochemical reactions, leading to ozone layer depletion. Between 2007 and 2016, human activities emitted approximately 7.3 Tgﾷa-1 of N2O, which is the main reason for the increase in global atmospheric N2O levels. The latest monitoring data indicates that the global average N2O concentration reached a record high in 2018, at 331 ppb, representing a 23% increase compared to pre-industrial levels.