Spatial Distribution of CO2 Verified Emissions: a Kriging-Based Approach

Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) anthropogenic emissions is an essential goal for combating climate change, and firms and policymakers must be aware of the main polluting areas of intervention for health, economic and environmental improvement, and mapping emissions is a relevant instrument to measure their geospatial distribution in order to reach that goal. Verified carbon emissions within the European Union mechanisms are a direct source of information that has not been previously used for mapping purposes. Through the application of universal kriging techniques, the proposed model shows the spatial variations of CO2 industrial emissions in the Spanish provinces and the contribution of the most polluting sectors, helping to understand the spatial CO2 emission dynamics in order to establish adequate environmental policies.