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GWP-100 is the standard used in most regulations worldwide.

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GWP: —
Global Warming Potential (vs CO₂ = 1)
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ASHRAE Class
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Regulatory Status
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Best Alternative
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Refrigerant GWP — What It Means and Why It Matters

Global Warming Potential tells you how much a refrigerant heats the planet compared to CO₂. Here’s everything in plain language.

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What Is GWP?

Global Warming Potential (GWP) measures how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over 100 years, compared to CO₂. CO₂ has a GWP of 1. R-410A has a GWP of 2,088 — meaning one kilogram of R-410A leaking into the atmosphere causes the same warming as 2,088 kilograms of CO₂. This is why refrigerant leaks matter for the climate.

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CO₂ Equivalent (CO₂e)

CO₂ equivalent is the actual climate impact of a refrigerant leak. The formula is simple: CO₂e = mass leaked × GWP. If 5 kg of R-410A leaks, CO₂e = 5 × 2,088 = 10,440 kg of CO₂ equivalent. That’s the same as driving a car for about 26,000 miles. Minimizing refrigerant leaks is one of the fastest ways to reduce HVAC climate impact.

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The Phase-Down Explained

Governments worldwide are phasing down high-GWP refrigerants. The US AIM Act requires an 85% reduction in HFC consumption by 2036. The EU F-Gas Regulation bans new equipment with GWP above 750. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol has 197 countries committed to cutting HFCs. This means R-410A — currently the most common AC refrigerant — is being replaced by lower-GWP alternatives.

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What Replaces R-410A?

Several refrigerants are positioned to replace R-410A. R-454B (GWP 467) and R-452B (GWP 676) are mildly flammable A2L refrigerants popular in residential systems. R-32 (GWP 675) is already widely used in Asia and Europe. R-466A (GWP 733) is non-flammable and being adopted by some manufacturers. R-290 (propane, GWP 3) is used in smaller systems. None have arrived as a universal single replacement.

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ASHRAE Safety Classification

Refrigerants are classified by toxicity (A = non-toxic, B = toxic) and flammability (1 = non-flammable, 2 = mildly flammable, 2L = lower flammability limit, 3 = highly flammable). R-410A is A1 — the safest class. Many low-GWP alternatives like R-32 and R-454B are A2L — mildly flammable, requiring additional installation precautions. R-290 (propane) is A3 — highly flammable, requiring specialized equipment.

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Natural Refrigerants

Natural refrigerants like CO₂ (R-744), propane (R-290), isobutane (R-600a), and ammonia (R-717) have extremely low GWPs. CO₂ has a GWP of 1. Propane has a GWP of 3. These are increasingly used in supermarket refrigeration, heat pumps, and domestic appliances. They require careful handling due to pressure (CO₂), flammability (propane), or toxicity (ammonia), but their climate impact is far lower.

📐 GWP Calculation Formulas

CO₂ Equivalent (CO₂e) = Mass of Refrigerant (kg) × GWP Blend GWP = Σ (Mass Fraction of Component × GWP of Component) Annual Emissions (kg CO₂e) = Total Charge (kg) × Annual Leak Rate (%) × GWP GWP Reduction % = (Old GWP − New GWP) ÷ Old GWP × 100

GWP-100 is the standard metric — it measures warming impact over 100 years. GWP-20 is sometimes used for short-lived pollutants. GWP values come from IPCC Assessment Reports; the most current values (AR6, 2021) update several refrigerants. For blend GWP, ASHRAE Standard 34 uses a mass-weighted average of component GWPs. This is an approximation — actual atmospheric behavior of blends can differ slightly.

Frequently Asked Questions

R-410A has a GWP of 2,088 (IPCC AR6, 100-year basis). It’s not being outright banned but is being phased down under the US EPA AIM Act and similar international regulations. The EPA began restricting R-410A production and import in 2025. New residential AC systems being sold after 2025 must use lower-GWP refrigerants like R-454B or R-32. Existing R-410A systems can continue operating and being serviced — the restriction is on new equipment production, not existing equipment.
Among natural refrigerants, CO₂ (R-744) has a GWP of exactly 1 — it’s the baseline. R-290 (propane) has a GWP of 3. R-600a (isobutane) has a GWP of 3. R-717 (ammonia) has a GWP of 0 — it doesn’t contribute to warming at all. Among synthetic refrigerants, R-1234yf and R-1234ze have GWPs of 4 and 7 respectively. These ultra-low GWP synthetic options are preferred where natural refrigerant handling is difficult.
GWP-100 measures how much warming a gas causes over 100 years compared to CO₂. GWP-20 measures the same thing but over just 20 years. Short-lived gases like HFOs can look better on a 100-year basis than a 20-year basis. Long-lived gases like SF₆ or CO₂ look similar on both timescales. Most environmental regulations use GWP-100, which is the IPCC and ASHRAE standard. GWP-20 is sometimes used to highlight the near-term impact of gases with shorter atmospheric lifetimes.
A typical residential split AC system contains 2–5 kg of R-410A. If the entire charge leaks, that’s 2–5 kg × 2,088 = 4,176–10,440 kg of CO₂e. That’s equivalent to 2–5 tons of CO₂ — roughly the same as driving 10,000–26,000 miles. Industry estimates suggest the average HVAC system leaks about 3–8% of its charge annually. This adds up across millions of systems. Leak detection, good installation practices, and switching to lower-GWP refrigerants all help reduce this impact significantly.
R-32 has a lower GWP (675 vs 2,088 for R-410A) — so it’s significantly better for the climate. However, R-32 is classified A2L (mildly flammable) while R-410A is A1 (non-flammable). This means R-32 systems require proper ventilation, leak detection, and service training. That said, R-32 is widely used across Asia, Europe, and Australia with an excellent safety record. A2L refrigerants require code-compliant installation — trained technicians handle this routinely. Overall, R-32 is considered a practical, lower-impact transition refrigerant.
No. Current regulations restrict new equipment manufacturing and refrigerant production — not existing systems. If you have an R-410A or R-22 system, you can continue operating it and having it serviced with the original refrigerant as long as supply is available. R-22 is still available (though expensive) for existing systems. R-410A will remain available for servicing existing equipment for many years. The regulations primarily affect new equipment purchases and what refrigerant your next system uses when you replace your current one.
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