08 MAY 2025 (THU) 10:35-10:55

High-Resolution Estimation of Urban Carbon Emissions 

Ms LIN Zirong 

( Supervisor: Prof Bo Huang )

Abstract:

Since the Industrial Revolution, the rapid development of the global economy and the acceleration of urbanization have led to a significant increase in fossil fuel consumption, resulting in a substantial rise in carbon emissions. This surge in emissions has significantly exacerbated global warming and negatively impacted ecosystems and human well-being. Cities, as major sources of global carbon emissions, account for 2/3 of total emissions. However, traditional mapping methods often rely on provincial or municipal units for statistics, making it difficult to accurately reveal the spatial distribution characteristics of emissions within cities.

This study focuses on high spatial resolution carbon emissions mapping in cities, aiming to use big data to create a kilometer-level spatial model of carbon dioxide emissions. The research objectives include (1) Constructing a high-resolution carbon emissions estimation framework that integrates multidimensional data such as high-resolution remote sensing images, nighttime light, population density, and statistical yearbook data, establishing connections between emissions and spatial locations based on sectors characteristics; (2) Analyzing the spatiotemporal impacts of driving factors such as public emergencies, industrial transformation, and clean energy substitution policies on carbon emissions patterns, and identifying regional emission reduction potentials; (3) Developing an atmospheric transport inversion model using carbon satellite data, integrating high-resolution emission inventories, and establishing a bidirectional collaborative verification mechanism to enhance the accuracy and optimize the timeliness of carbon emissions estimation.

The research results are expected to fill the gap in the accounting methods for urban micro-scale carbon emissions, enhance the scientific understanding of urban carbon emissions patterns, and promote more targeted and effective emission reduction and sustainable urban development strategies.