A monitoring system for greenhouse gas concentrations has been launched in north China's coal-rich Shanxi Province as local authorities hope to better deal with climate change by using first-hand emission data.

It is the first such monitoring system that has been built among provincial-level regions in the country.

Shanxi's coal output accounts for about one fourth of the country's total. It is a large energy-consuming province with high carbon emissions.

The system can monitor the concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, oxynitride and particulate matter in the air and publish the data in a timely manner, said the Shanxi Provincial Meteorological Administration.

Construction of the monitoring system began in November last year, with an investment of 10.25 million yuan ($1.61 million) for its first phase.

It operates a central monitoring station and three sub-stations in the cities of Taiyuan, Datong and Linyi.