Short-lived climate forcers (Q1002)
Subject, term, tag: Short-lived climate forcers
- Short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs)
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Short-lived climate forcers |
Subject, term, tag: Short-lived climate forcers |
|
Statements
IPCC Glossary v1.5
1 reference
27 May 2026
A set of chemically reactive compounds with short (relative to carbon dioxide (CO2)) atmospheric lifetimes (from hours to about two decades) but characterised by different physiochemical properties and environmental effects. Their emission or formation has a significant effect on radiative forcing over a period determined by their respective atmospheric lifetimes. Changes in their emissions can also induce long-term climate effects via, in particular, their interactions with some biogeochemical cycles. SLCFs are classified as direct or indirect, with direct SLCFs exerting climate effects through their radiative forcing and indirect SLCFs being the precursors of other direct climate forcers. Direct SLCFs include 4) methane (CH, 3) ozone (O, primary aerosols and some halogenated species. Indirect SLCFs are precursors of ozone or secondary aerosols. SLCFs can be cooling or warming through interactions with radiation and clouds. They are also referred to as near-term climate forcers. Many SLCFs are also air pollutants. A subset of exclusively warming SLCFs is also referred to as short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), including methane, ozone, and black carbon (BC). (English)
IPCC Glossary v1.5
1 reference
27 May 2026