Economic Impacts from PM_2.5 Pollution-Related Health Effects: A Case Study in Shanghai

Abstract

PM pollution-related diseases cause additional medical expenses and work time loss, leading to macroeconomic impact in high PM concentration areas. Previous economic impact assessments of air pollution focused on benefits from environmental regulations while ignoring climate policies. In this study, we examine the health and economic impacts from PM pollution under various air pollution control strategies and climate policies scenarios in the megacity of Shanghai. The estimation adopts an integrated model combining a Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model, exposure-response functions (ERFs), and a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The results show that without control measures, Shanghai's mortality caused by PM pollution are estimated to be 192 400 cases in 2030 and the work time loss to be 72.1 h/cap annually. The corresponding GDP values and welfare losses would be approximately 2.26% and 3.14%, respectively. With an estimated control cost of 0.76% of local GDP, Shanghai would gain approximately 1.01% of local GDP through local air pollution control measures and climate policies. Furthermore, the application of multiregional integrated control strategies in neighboring provinces would be the most effective in reducing PM concentration in Shanghai, leading to only 0.34% of GDP loss. At the sectoral level, labor-intensive sectors suffer more output loss from PM pollution. Sectors with the highest control costs include power generation, iron and steel, and transport. The results indicate that the combination of multiregional integrated air pollution control strategies and climate policies would be cost-beneficial for Shanghai.

Chemical characterization and source identification of PM<sub>2.5</sub> at multiple sites in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, China

“…Haze pollution with high fine PM loading could profoundly impact ecosystems, regional-scale atmospheric visibility, traffic safety, the economy, and interactions with climate (R. Y. ; more importantly, this pollution can have adverse effects on human health, including increased risks of respiratory, cardiac, and other medical conditions (Elliot et al, 2016;Wu et al, 2017), thus leading to increased mortality rates, especially in megacities, which are generally seriously polluted and densely populated. In addition to the particle mass concentration and particle size, the health effects of PM are closely related to its chemical composition (R. Y. , and different diseases respond variously to different air pollutants .…”

“…This contribution points to an urgent demand for wider collaborative work on emission control strategies between neighboring cities or provinces. For Shanghai, which is a megacity in the YRD region, Wu et al (2017) estimated that the application of multiregional integrated control strategies in neighboring provinces could be most effective in reducing PM 2.5 in Shanghai and could largely reduce the economic losses caused by haze pollution. Extensive studies have been performed to investigate the formation mechanisms and emission sources of haze pollution in the BTH region and have obtained many valuable results Liu et al, 2016a;; X. J.…”

Regional sustainable development: The relationship between natural capital utilization and economic development

“…The essence of the curse of resources is not that natural resources restrict economic development but that their effects restrict economic development, for example, the extrude effect of resources (Ji, ; Sachs & Warner, ) and the effect of resource dependence (Shao & Yang, ). In addition, environmental problems caused by the destruction of the natural ecosystem have an impact on economic development (Wu et al, ). For instance, environmental pollution or deterioration often reduces quality of life and increases the probability of disease, leading to changes in the regional labor force and industrial structure adjustments (Lu, ).…”

Personal exposure to PM 2.5 in Chinese rural households in the Yangtze River Delta

“…Fine particulate air pollution is of worldwide concern and remains ubiquitous and a major cause of ill health in many regions . Research shows that human cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are closely related to PM 2.5 exposure and may cause significant economic losses to society . In 2017, the population of rural China reached 577 million, constituting 41% of the country's total population.…”