Analyses of air pollution control measures and co-benefits in the heavily air-polluted Jinan city of China, 2013–2017
Liangliang Cui, Jingwen Zhou, Xiumiao Peng, Shiman Ruan, Ying Zhang
Abstract
Abstract China has made great efforts in air pollution control since 2013. However, there is a lack of evaluation of environmental, health and economic co-benefits associated with the national and local air pollution control measures at a city level. We analyzed local air pollution control policies and implementation in Jinan, one of the most heavily air-polluted cities in China between 2013 and 2017. We assessed the changes in exhaust emissions, air quality, mortality and morbidity of associated specific-diseases, and related economic benefits. We also projected the future scenarios of PM 2.5 concentration dropped to 15 μg/m 3 . There were significant decreases in exhaust emissions of SO 2 and NO x in Jinan during the study period. Annual reductions in ambient air pollution were 72.6% for SO 2 , 43.1% for PM 2.5 , and 34.2% for PM 10 . A total of 2,317 (95%CI: 1,533–2,842) premature deaths and 15,822 (95%CI: 8,734–23,990) related morbidity cases had been avoided in 2017, leading to a total of US$ 317.7 million (95%CI: 227.5–458.1) in economic benefits. Decreasing PM 2.5 concentrations to 15 μg/m 3 would result in reductions of 70% in total PM 2.5 -related non-accidental mortality and 95% in total PM 2.5 -related morbidity, which translates into US$ 1,289.5 million (95%CI: 825.8–1,673.6) in economic benefits. The national and local air pollution control measures have brought significant environmental, health and economic benefits to a previously heavy polluted Chinese city.