Assessment of the health benefits of declining PM2.5 levels in the Yangtze River Delta

The aim of this study was to evaluate the health and economic benefits of PM2.5 emission reduction for residents in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. Based on the time-weighted PM2.5 exposure levels, the decreasing trend in PM2.5 exposure of residents in the YRD region from 2011 to 2019, and its health and economic synergies, were analyzed using an integrated exposure-response model and the willingness-to-pay method. The results showed that, from 2011 to 2019, the PM2.5 exposure level in the YRD region decreased by 17.03% from 45.06µg/m3 to 37.39µg/m3. Meanwhile, the number of premature deaths attributable to PM2.5 exposure decreased by 24.65% from 139, 962 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 87306~192619) to 105461 (95% CI: 66306~14416). According to the interannual variation-based sensitivity analysis, the number of premature deaths attributed to PM2.5 exposure showed a downward trend year by year after the implementation of relevant policies in 2012, with cumulative benefits of 4.055 billion dollars. These data indicate the effectiveness of various PM2.5 emission reduction actions in China. Since 2018, the annual economic benefits of PM2.5 emission reduction have decreased. Therefore, while reducing carbon emissions, it is necessary to continue to strengthen the control of pollution reduction to reduce attributable deaths and economic loss. © 2023 Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences. All rights reserved.