Abstract. Carbon monoxide (CO), an important atmospheric pollutant produced by incomplete combustion and hydrocarbon oxidation, significantly affects atmospheric oxidation capacity and air quality. Accurate quantification of its global emissions and the underlying driver behind its atmospheric trends is essential for understanding changes in global atmospheric environment. Using 20 years (2003–2022) of data from the Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument, we analyze chan