Nitrogen Trifluoride Emissions in China from 2017 to 2021 Derived from Atmospheric Observations

Rapid growth in the emissions of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), a potent greenhouse gas, poses a threat to the environment and the climate system. This study estimated NF3 emissions and their spatial distribution in China from 2017 to 2021 based on atmospheric observations from nine background stations in China, by employing a Lagrangian-dispersion-model-based Bayesian inversion technique. We found that NF3 emissions in China increased from 0.95 (0.82–1.07) Gg yr–1 in 2017 to 1.41 (1.28–1.55) Gg yr–1 in 2021, representing a substantial growth of 48% over this period. The absolute increase in NF3 emissions in China over 2017–2020, 0.65 (0.57–0.74) Gg yr–1is comparable to the increase in global emissions (0.63 (0.50–0.75) Gg yr–1) over the same period. We identified substantial NF3 emissions in the Pearl and Yangtze River Delta regions and Hubei Province, where well-established semiconductor industries could have contributed to NF3 emissions. Moreover, large NF3 emissions were identified in northern China, including Hebei, Henan, and Shandong Provinces. If control measures are not implemented, increasing NF3 emissions may delay China’s progress toward achieving its carbon neutrality target by 2060.