Anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> Emissions Changes in an Urban Area of Tokyo, Japan, Due to the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A Case Study During the State of Emergency in April–May 2020
Hirofumi Sugawara, Shigeyuki Ishidoya, Yukio Terao, Yuya Takane, Yukihiro Kikegawa, Ko Nakajima
Abstract
Abstract The influence of the COVID‐19 pandemic on urban CO 2 emissions was investigated using atmospheric observations in the residential area (approximately 4 × 10 5 m 2 ) in Tokyo, Japan. The measured CO 2 flux decreased by 20% ± 3% in April–May 2020 compared to the same period during the past few years. The exchange ratio of O 2 and CO 2 revealed the breakdown of emission sources; the decrease of flux was due to the decrease in liquid fuel consumption, while household gas fuel consumption was slightly increased; this was also supported by the simultaneously measured CO:CO 2 concentration ratio. A human‐activity analysis in the flux footprint area supported the results of the observation; car traffic decreased and household gas consumption increased.