A novel approach for independent budgeting of fossil fuel CO₂ over Europe by ¹⁴CO₂ observations

Long‐term atmospheric 14 CO 2 observations are used to quantify fossil fuel‐derived CO 2 concentrations at a regional polluted site, and at a continental mountain station in southwest Germany. Fossil fuel CO 2 emission rates for the relevant catchment areas are obtained by applying the Radon‐Tracer‐Method. They compare well with statistical emissions inventories but reveal a larger seasonality than earlier assumed, thus contributing significantly to the observed CO 2 seasonal cycle over Europe. Based on the present approach, emissions reductions on the order of 5–10% are detectable for catchment areas of several hundred kilometres radius, as anticipated within a five‐years commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Still, no significant change of fossil fuel CO 2 emissions is observed at the two sites over the last 16 years.