Glossary

CFCs is the abbreviation for chlorofluorocarbons. CFCs are hydrocarbons in which the hydrogen atoms are replaced by a halogen like chlorine or fluorine. They are among the low-molecular organic compounds. Chlorofluorocarbons are exclusively anthropogenic in origin; they are never naturally produced. They are used as coolants, propellants and cleansers, and as foaming agents for plastics. CFCs are comparatively stable chemical compounds and are characterised by a high global warming potential (GWP). In the upper atmosphere, they are broken down by UV light, contributing to ozone depletion. The Montreal Protocol, which has since been ratified by 195 countries, bore fruit: by 2004, use of CFCs had dropped by 95 percent worldwide, and by 98 percent in Germany.