Regional differences in CO2 concentrations in China and Yonaguni Island - 2020s

Regional differences in CO2 concentrations in China and Yonaguni Island - 2020s

In the 2020s, CO2 emissions from China continue to have a significant impact on the atmosphere of Yonaguni Island and Hateruma Island in Japan. Yonaguni Island (Okinawa Prefecture) is about 111 km away from mainland China, and especially in winter, East Asian monsoons bring in winds from the continent. As a result, emissions from coal combustion in China reach the island, which has been observed to increase the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, CO2 emissions fell temporarily by 32% due to the shutdown of industrial activity in China during the lockdown, but then emissions surged again when economic activity resumed In 2021, with coal-based power plants in full operation, China's overall coal emissions reached 15.3 gigatons, exceeding the 2014 peak. Coal transport and consumption are on the rise, especially at the port of Nantong in Jiangsu Province, where power generation and cement production are expanding rapidly.

On Yonaguni and Hateruma islands, CO2 and methane concentrations carried by winds from mainland China have been observed, which are used to assess fossil fuel emissions in China. These observations provide real-time monitoring of emission reductions in China, particularly how industrial activity and electricity demand affect CO2 emissions.

Coal use in China can increase and decrease over short periods of time, for example during extreme climate conditions or rapid economic recovery, coal consumption can spike in response to electricity demand, resulting in record levels of CO2 emissions.