Monitoring urban carbon emissions from energy consumption over China with DMSP/OLS nighttime light observations

This paper constructs a model to accurately estimate the urban CO2 emissions in 2000, 2005, and 2013 in China, using the combined data of DMSP/OLS nighttime light data and the provincial energy statistical yearbook data. We calculate and analyze the growth of urban built-up areas and carbon emissions in different time periods both all over the country and the four economic zones in China. It was shown a good fitting relationship between urban growth and carbon emissions, with the R2 at 0.6188 in 2000, 0.7132 in 2005, and 0.7195 in 2013. The growth rate of developed land area was 13.4% from 2000 to 2005 and 15.9% from 2005 to 2013. During the same period, CO2 emissions had been increasing as well, at an average annual growth rate of 12.2% from 2000 to 2005 and 6.5% from 2005 to 2013. From a spatial point of view, carbon emissions are far greater in the eastern region of China than in western China. The carbon emissions are the highest in major metropolitan cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Per capita carbon emissions are also higher in eastern China, which is consistent with the people’s higher living standards. In some cities with large energy and heavy industry concentrations, especially in the northeastern and western regions, the growth rate of carbon emissions has risen faster than in other cities.