Anthropogenic and biogenic CO ₂ fluxes in the Boston urban region

Abstract

Significance Cities are taking a leading role in US efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and require traceable methods to assess the efficacy of their efforts. In this study, we developed an inverse model framework that quantified emissions in the Boston urban region over 16 months and is capable of detecting changes in emissions of greater than 18%. We show that a detailed representation of urban biological fluxes and knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of emissions are essential for accurate modeling of annual CO 2 emissions. Across the globe, it is possible to quantifiably assess the efficacy of mitigation efforts by developing frameworks similar to the one we present here for Boston.