High-resolution Emission Inventory Development and Co-emission Hotspot Identification of Air Pollutants and Greenhouse Gases in Central Plains Region, China

Abstract. A high-resolution inventory provides scientific basis for numerical simulations and control strategies. Under the background of synergistic carbon reduction and pollution control, constructing a carbon-pollutant co-emission inventory is of great significance for regional air quality improvement. Taken Henan Province in the Central Plains region as an example, the most polluted regions in China, an update emission inventory was developed. The study presents results showing that in 2022, the total emissions of SO₂, NO_X, CO, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, VOCs, NH₃, BC, OC, CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O in Central China, particularly Henan Province, were 408.7, 1336.2, 4647.3, 901.1, 440.0, 759.3, 672.7, 47.4, 90.3, 540462.0, 12462.0 and 42.9 kt respectively. The emissions were predominantly attributed to industrial combustion, electricity generation, motor vehicles, and agricultural activities. Significant spatial heterogeneity was observed. Northern heavy industrial cities exhibited high carbon and pollution intensities with carbon emission 1.75–3.7 times higher than the provincial average. In contrast, central transportation hubs were primarily characterized by elevated emissions of NO_X and VOCs. Southern agricultural areas showed low carbon but high NH₃ emissions. Temporally, emissions of SO₂ and PM_2.5 peaked during winter, whereas NH₃ increased during the summer agricultural season. High-emission grids were predominantly concentrated in urban agglomerations of the north-central region, especially around Zhengzhou, Jiaozuo, and Anyang. Hotspot analysis revealed that 5 % of high-emission grids accounted for more than 50 % of total emissions, indicating a highly uneven spatial distribution. These results highlight that understanding the region-specific emission characteristics of different regions is critical for developing mitigation strategies in future.