In the context of greenhouse gases, the term CO2-equivalent refers to the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that would have the same global warming potential (GWP) as a given type and amount of greenhouse gas. The GWP of a greenhouse gas is a measure of its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere relative to CO2.

For example, the GWP of methane (CH4) is 25, which means that one ton of CH4 has the same global warming potential as 25 tons of CO2. Therefore, if a country emits 100,000 tons of CH4, its CO2-equivalent emissions would be 2,500,000 tons (100,000 tons x 25).

CO2-equivalent emissions are used to compare the greenhouse gas emissions of different countries and sectors, and to track progress towards reducing emissions.