Space-based quantification of anthropogenic CO2 emissions in an urban area using “bottom-up” method (Case study: Isfahan Metropolitan)

Increasing consumption of fossil fuels in urban areas emits enormous amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Therefore, the study of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from urban areas has become an important research topic. The main purpose of this study is space-based quantification of carbon dioxide emissions driving from fossil fuel combustion in different source sectors in Isfahan. To achieve it, in the present study, the "bottom-up" method was used to quantify the carbon dioxide gas emission based on its production sources sectors. In this method, the amount of emission was measured distinctly for different sources of energy consumption and consequently the spatial distribution map the CO2 emission was generated. The results of this study revealed that the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions driving from fossil fuels is 13855525 tons per year in Isfahan. Separately stationary sectors of power plant, housing and commercial and mobile sources including road and railroad and existing agricultural machinery were responsible for emitting 50.61, 21.78, 17.18, 4.92, 4.37, and 1.14% of CO2, respectively. In conclusion, through applying the bottom-up method and CO2 emission distribution mapping based on different source sectors, mitigation measures can be applied more efficiently in urban planning.