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Assessment of the Effect of the Three-Year Action Plan to Fight Air Pollution on Air Quality and Associated Health Benefits in Sichuan Basin, China

Author

Listed:
  • Juihui Chen

    (School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
    Sichuan Academy of Environmental Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China)

  • Xiaoqiong Feng

    (Sichuan Academy of Environmental Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China)

  • Yonghui Zhu

    (School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Ling Huang

    (School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Min He

    (Sichuan Academy of Environmental Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China)

  • Yuan Li

    (Sichuan Academy of Environmental Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China)

  • Elly Yaluk

    (School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Li Han

    (Sichuan Academy of Environmental Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China)

  • Junjie Wang

    (Sichuan Academy of Environmental Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China)

  • Yuhong Qiao

    (Sichuan Academy of Environmental Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China)

  • Li Li

    (School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

Abstract

To continuously improve air quality, after implementation of the “Clean Air Action Plan, 2013–2017” (CAAP), the “Three-year Action Plan to Fight Air Pollution” (TYP) was further conducted from 2018 to 2020. However, the effectiveness of the TYP remains unclear in one of the major city-clusters of China, the Sichuan Basin. In this study, the bottom-up method was used to quantify the emission reduction during TYP based on the emissions inventory in Sichuan Basin in 2017 and the air pollution control measures adopted from 2018 to 2020 in each city. The reduction of PM 2.5 concentration and the avoided premature deaths due to implementation of air pollution control measures were assessed by using an integrated meteorology and air quality modeling system and a concentration-response algorithm. Emissions of SO 2 , NOx, PM 2.5 , and VOCs in the Sichuan Basin have been reduced by 42.6, 105.2, 40.2, and 136.6 Gg, respectively. The control of non-electricity industry contributed significantly to the emission reduction of all pollutants, accounting for 26–49%. In addition, the control of mobile sources contributes the most to NOx reductions, accounting for 57%. The results illustrate that the focus of air pollution control in Sichuan Basin is still industrial sources. We also found that the emission reduction of NOx, PM 2.5 , and VOCs in Chengdu is significantly higher than that of other cities, which were about 3.4~15.4 times, 2.2~40.1 times, and 4.3~24.4 times that of other cities, respectively. In Sichuan Basin, the average reduction rate of PM 2.5 concentration due to air pollution control measures was 5% on average, with the highest contributions from industry, mobile source, and dust emission control. The decrease rate in each city ranges between 1~10%, and the decreasing ratios in Dazhou (10%), Chengdu (8%), and Zigong (7%) are relatively higher. The number of premature deaths avoided due to air pollution control measures in Sichuan Basin is estimated to be 22,934. Chengdu and Dazhou have benefitted most from the air pollution control measures, with 6043 and 2713 premature deaths avoided, respectively. Our results indicate that the implementation of TYP has achieved remarkable environmental and health benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Juihui Chen & Xiaoqiong Feng & Yonghui Zhu & Ling Huang & Min He & Yuan Li & Elly Yaluk & Li Han & Junjie Wang & Yuhong Qiao & Li Li, 2021. "Assessment of the Effect of the Three-Year Action Plan to Fight Air Pollution on Air Quality and Associated Health Benefits in Sichuan Basin, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:19:p:10968-:d:648921
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sneha Gautam & Aditya Kumar Patra & Prashant Kumar, 2019. "Status and chemical characteristics of ambient PM2.5 pollutions in China: a review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1649-1674, August.
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