Modeling spatiotemporal CO₂ (carbon dioxide) emission dynamics in China from DMSP-OLS nighttime stable light data using panel data analysis

China's rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in a great deal of CO₂ (carbon dioxide) emissions, which is closely related to its sustainable development and the long term stability of global climate. This study proposes panel data analysis to model spatiotemporal CO₂ emission dynamics at a higher resolution in China by integrating the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) nighttime stable light (NSL) data with statistic data of CO₂ emissions. Spatiotemporal CO₂ emission dynamics were assessed from national scale down to regional and urban agglomeration scales. The evaluation showed that there was a true positive correlation between NSL data and statistic CO₂ emissions in China at the provincial level from 1997 to 2012, which could be suitable for estimating CO₂ emissions at 1 km resolution. The spatiotemporal CO₂ emission dynamics between different regions varied greatly. The high-growth type and high-grade of CO₂ emissions were mainly distributed in the Eastern region, Shandong Peninsula and Middle south of Liaoning, with clearly lower concentrations in the Western region, Central region and Sichuan-Chongqing. The results of this study will enhance the understanding of spatiotemporal variations of CO₂ emissions in China. They will provide a scientific basis for policy-making on viable CO₂ emission mitigation policies.