Characteristics of spatial and temporal carbon emissions from different land uses in Shanxi section of the Yellow River, China

The characteristics of spatial and temporal distribution of carbon emissions from various land use types is one of the hot spots of researches. The carbon emission of Shanxi section of the Yellow River during 2000–2019 were analyzed based on the land use type data and fossil energy consumption data for the same period. Here, we explored the spatial and temporal characteristics of ecological stress using carbon emission, carbon footprint, carbon deficit, carbon ecological carrying capacity and carbon footprint pressure index models. The results indicated that the overall net carbon emissions had increased from 27959.67Gg CO2 equivalents in 2000–97355.36Gg CO2 equivalents in 2019 in the study area. During the study period, construction land was the main carbon sources, while forest land was the main carbon sinks. The carbon footprint of coal energy was the most dominant. The carbon footprint was greater than the ecological carrying capacity, which caused an ecological deficit during 2000–2019. The net carbon emissions and carbon footprint showed a continuous increasing trend, which became slower. The ecological pressure was spatially characterized as “less pressure in the northern and more pressure in the southern”. The findings can provide scientific guidance for the land use sustainable development for coal cities.