Estimating differences in driving mechanisms for carbon emissions at city-county scale in Fujian Province based on multi-source nighttime light data

Current assessments of carbon emission(CE) driving mechanisms primarily focus on country-level and province-level, with relatively few comprehensive analyses conducted at the municipal and county scales. In order to formulate refined and regionalized CE reduction strategies, there is an urgent need to accurately obtain the CE driving mechanisms at different scales. Fujian Province was adopted as a representative case for analysis By merging DMSP/OLS and NPP/VIIRS nighttime light (NTL) data, it estimated the carbon emissions (CEs) of cities and counties within Fujian Province over the period during the 20-year timeframe from 2000 through 2020. Furthermore, it unveiled the distinct CE trajectories associated with different city sizes. The results showed that population size (PS) and per capita GDP in developed regions played a significant role, while the urbanization rate and the proportion of secondary industries inhibited CEs. At the county level, carbon emissions (CEs) were under the steadily intensifying positive impact of population size (PS) and per capita GDP had a greater impact in the southwest corners of the county; In coastal and small cities, CEs were jointly driven by PS and per capita GDP, while inland and large cities were mainly affected by energy intensity and urbanization rate. The study is furnishing the government with authoritative data support to formulate regional emission reduction strategies in a precise and scientific way.