CO2 emission inventories for Chinese cities in highly urbanized areas compared with European cities

► An exemplary study of GHG emission inventory for Chinese cities. ► Estimate CO2 emissions of Chinese city in highly urbanized areas from 2004 to 2010. ► The studied Chinese cities contribute higher per-capita emissions than European's. ► Emissions of residential sector and private transport in China are growing rapidly. ► Several policy suggestions considering regional disparities are provided.