Spatial-explicit carbon emission-sequestration balance estimation and evaluation of emission susceptible zones in an Eastern Himalayan city using Pressure-Sensitivity-Resilience framework: An approach towards achieving low carbon cities

Urbanization and associated land-use change is one of the major sources of cumulative greenhouse gas emissions and has become a serious concern for climate change and environmental degradation. A comprehensive study of land-use derived carbon emissions and sequestration capacities is very significant to execute emission reduction planning and sustainable development. Cities have become the hotspot of carbon emissions; hence, the accurate assessment of city-level carbon emissions is also essential to implement carbon reduction strategies. In this study, an integrated assessment method was used to assess the spatial carbon emissions, carbon sequestration capacity, emission-sequestration balance, and carbon resilience capacity of a Himalayan city using the ecological support coefficient. Carbon emissions were estimated through both the direct and indirect methods using various consumption data, land-use land-cover (LULC) data, and their emission coefficients. InVEST model was applied to estimate carbon sequestration capacity by different LULC using regional carbon density data. A spatial-explicit carbon emission susceptible zones (ESZ) were developed with the help of sixteen multi-dimensional indicators based on the 'Pressure-Sensitivity-Resilience' approach using Geographically Weighted Principal Components Analysis. The ESZ was validated by Getis-Ord Gi* and optimized hotspot analysis method. The result shows that population size, household size, and concentration of built-up land are the main responsible for carbon emissions. This study can enrich the assessment methods in city-level carbon emissions estimation and the approaches presented in this study can provide a new dimension in the field of carbon emission studies and can be valuable guidance towards the low carbon cities framework.