A dataset of carbon emissions from coal mining in coal resource cities in China

Coal is often regarded as the most polluting energy source, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution at every stage, from mining to utilization. While carbon emissions during coal use have traditionally been the primary focus of the industry, emissions from the production phase, at the forefront of the supply chain, are often overlooked. Estimating carbon dioxide emissions from coal production is crucial for guiding the sustainable use of coal resources in China. This study employs a top-down modeling approach across the entire energy system, utilizing energy carbon emission factors (EF) to assess CO2 emissions from coal mining activities in various resource-dependent cities in China. The findings reveal that cities with the highest carbon emissions from coal mining are chiefly located in Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia within the Jin-Shan-Mongolia-Ningxia-Gansu region, as well as Hebei, Shandong, and Anhui provinces in the eastern region, and Chongqing, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces in the southern region.