Summary
This comprehensive synthesis integrates energy statistics, land-use data, atmospheric measurements, and process model estimates to quantify how anthropogenic CO2 emissions are partitioned among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere. For 2010–2019, the work establishes that fossil emissions averaged 9.6 GtC yr⁻¹ and land-use change emissions 1.6 GtC yr⁻¹, with atmospheric accumulation, ocean uptake, and terrestrial sinks nearly balancing total emissions (BIM of −0.1 GtC yr⁻¹). The paper provides a rigorous methodological framework and empirical baseline essential for understanding contemporary carbon cycle dynamics and informing climate policy.
UK applicability
The global carbon budget framework is directly relevant to UK climate policy and carbon accounting, particularly for monitoring progress towards net-zero targets and understanding the UK's contribution to global emissions and sinks. The datasets and methodology may inform UK-specific carbon audits and agricultural land-use change assessments.
Key measures
Fossil CO2 emissions (EFOS): 9.6 ± 0.5 GtC yr⁻¹ (2010–2019); land-use change emissions (ELUC): 1.6 ± 0.7 GtC yr⁻¹; atmospheric growth rate (GATM): 5.1 ± 0.02 GtC yr⁻¹; ocean sink (SOCEAN): 2.5 ± 0.6 GtC yr⁻¹; terrestrial sink (SLAND): 3.4 ± 0.9 GtC yr⁻¹; budget imbalance (BIM): −0.1 GtC yr⁻¹
Outcomes reported
The study quantified the five major components of the global carbon budget: fossil CO2 emissions, land-use change emissions, atmospheric CO2 growth, ocean CO2 sink, and terrestrial CO2 sink, with their respective uncertainties for 2010–2019 and 2019 alone.
Topic tags
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