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Inequality of household consumption and air pollution-related deaths in China

Author

Listed:
  • Hongyan Zhao

    (Tsinghua University
    Tsinghua University)

  • Guannan Geng

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Qiang Zhang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Steven J. Davis

    (Tsinghua University
    University of California
    University of California)

  • Xin Li

    (Beijing Technology and Business University)

  • Yang Liu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Liqun Peng

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Meng Li

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Bo Zheng

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Hong Huo

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Lin Zhang

    (Peking University)

  • Daven K. Henze

    (University of Colorado Boulder)

  • Zhifu Mi

    (University College London)

  • Zhu Liu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Dabo Guan

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Kebin He

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

Substantial quantities of air pollution and related health impacts are ultimately attributable to household consumption. However, how consumption pattern affects air pollution impacts remains unclear. Here we show, of the 1.08 (0.74–1.42) million premature deaths due to anthropogenic PM2.5 exposure in China in 2012, 20% are related to household direct emissions through fuel use and 24% are related to household indirect emissions embodied in consumption of goods and services. Income is strongly associated with air pollution-related deaths for urban residents in which health impacts are dominated by indirect emissions. Despite a larger and wealthier urban population, the number of deaths related to rural consumption is higher than that related to urban consumption, largely due to direct emissions from solid fuel combustion in rural China. Our results provide quantitative insight to consumption-based accounting of air pollution and related deaths and may inform more effective and equitable clean air policies in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Hongyan Zhao & Guannan Geng & Qiang Zhang & Steven J. Davis & Xin Li & Yang Liu & Liqun Peng & Meng Li & Bo Zheng & Hong Huo & Lin Zhang & Daven K. Henze & Zhifu Mi & Zhu Liu & Dabo Guan & Kebin He, 2019. "Inequality of household consumption and air pollution-related deaths in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-12254-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12254-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Chenxi Li & Kening Wu, 2022. "An input–output analysis of transportation equipment manufacturing industrial transfer: Evidence from Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei region, China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 91-111, March.
    2. Ren, Yi-Shuai & Liu, Pei-Zhi & Klein, Tony & Sheenan, Lisa, 2024. "Does the low-carbon pilot cities policy make a difference to the carbon intensity reduction?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 227-239.
    3. Li, Yuqin & Zhang, Lixiao & Zhang, Pengpeng & Li, Xinqing & Hao, Yan, 2024. "Water-energy-food nexus in China: An interregional comparison," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    4. Liu, Yating & Fang, Delin & Chen, Bin, 2021. "Interregional spillover effect of PM2.5 emissions on Northeast China through the national supply chain," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    5. Teng Ma & Silu Zhang & Yilong Xiao & Xiaorui Liu & Minghao Wang & Kai Wu & Guofeng Shen & Chen Huang & Yan Ru Fang & Yang Xie, 2023. "Costs and health benefits of the rural energy transition to carbon neutrality in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Di Wu & Haotian Zheng & Qing Li & Ling Jin & Rui Lyu & Xiang Ding & Yaoqiang Huo & Bin Zhao & Jingkun Jiang & Jianmin Chen & Xiangdong Li & Shuxiao Wang, 2022. "Toxic potency-adjusted control of air pollution for solid fuel combustion," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(2), pages 194-202, February.
    7. Yuan, Rong & Wang, Juan, 2021. "Impacts of poverty alleviation on household GHG footprints in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    8. Ke Jiang & Ran Xing & Zhihan Luo & Yaojie Li & Jinghang Wang & Wenxiao Zhang & Yaqi Zhu & Yatai Men & Guofeng Shen & Shu Tao, 2024. "Unclean but affordable solid fuels effectively sustained household energy equity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Arezoo Mokhtari & Behnam Tashayo & Kaveh Deilami, 2021. "Implications of Nonstationary Effect on Geographically Weighted Total Least Squares Regression for PM 2.5 Estimation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-17, July.
    10. Xizhe Yan & Dan Tong & Yixuan Zheng & Yang Liu & Shaoqing Chen & Xinying Qin & Chuchu Chen & Ruochong Xu & Jing Cheng & Qinren Shi & Dongsheng Zheng & Kebin He & Qiang Zhang & Yu Lei, 2024. "Cost-effectiveness uncertainty may bias the decision of coal power transitions in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Ling Tang & Junai Yang & Jiali Zheng & Xinlu Sun & Lu Cheng & Kehan He & Ling Li & Jinkai Li & Wenjia Cai & Shouyang Wang & Paul Drummond & Zhifu Mi, 2024. "Assessing the impacts of fertility and retirement policies on China’s carbon emissions," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 14(12), pages 1261-1267, December.
    12. Kousis, I. & Manni, M. & Pisello, A.L., 2022. "Environmental mobile monitoring of urban microclimates: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    13. Fabio Antoniou & Panos Hatzipanayotou & Michael S. Michael & Nikos Tsakiris, 2022. "Tax competition in the presence of environmental spillovers," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(3), pages 600-626, June.
    14. Xu, Dandan & Guo, Dongli & Yue, Pengpeng & Li, Mengshi, 2024. "Household green consumption: Does digital inclusion matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    15. Zhang, Mingming & Liu, Jinghui & Liu, Liyun & Zhou, Dequn, 2023. "Inequality in urban household energy consumption for 30 Chinese provinces," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    16. Meina Zheng & Xiucheng Guo & Feng Liu & Jiayan Shen, 2021. "Contribution of Subway Expansions to Air Quality Improvement and the Corresponding Health Implications in Nanjing, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-19, January.
    17. Zhang, Qishi & Li, Bo & Liu, Jing-Yu & Deng, Yizhi & Zhang, Runsen & Wu, Wenchao & Geng, Yong, 2024. "Assessing the distributional impacts of ambitious carbon pricing in China's agricultural sector," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).

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