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Trade-driven relocation of air pollution and health impacts in China

Author

Listed:
  • Haikun Wang

    (Nanjing University
    Harvard University)

  • Yanxu Zhang

    (Harvard University)

  • Hongyan Zhao

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Xi Lu

    (Tsinghua University
    State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex)

  • Yanxia Zhang

    (Nanjing University)

  • Weimo Zhu

    (Nanjing University)

  • Chris P. Nielsen

    (Harvard University)

  • Xin Li

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Qiang Zhang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Jun Bi

    (Nanjing University)

  • Michael B. McElroy

    (Harvard University
    Harvard University)

Abstract

Recent studies show that international trade affects global distributions of air pollution and public health. Domestic interprovincial trade has similar effects within countries, but has not been comprehensively investigated previously. Here we link four models to evaluate the effects of both international exports and interprovincial trade on PM2.5 pollution and public health across China. We show that 50–60% of China’s air pollutant emissions in 2007 were associated with goods and services consumed outside of the provinces where they were produced. Of an estimated 1.10 million premature deaths caused by PM2.5 pollution throughout China, nearly 19% (208,500 deaths) are attributable to international exports. In contrast, interprovincial trade leads to improved air quality in developed coastal provinces with a net effect of 78,500 avoided deaths nationwide. However, both international export and interprovincial trade exacerbate the health burdens of air pollution in China’s less developed interior provinces. Our results reveal trade to be a critical but largely overlooked consideration in effective regional air quality planning for China.

Suggested Citation

  • Haikun Wang & Yanxu Zhang & Hongyan Zhao & Xi Lu & Yanxia Zhang & Weimo Zhu & Chris P. Nielsen & Xin Li & Qiang Zhang & Jun Bi & Michael B. McElroy, 2017. "Trade-driven relocation of air pollution and health impacts in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-00918-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00918-5
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhao Liu & Lan-Ye Wei, 2022. "Effects of ODI and export trade structure on CO2 emissions in China: nonlinear relationships," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(12), pages 13630-13656, December.
    2. Jing Shao & Nan Xiang & Yutong Zhang & Xiang Li & Guihua Liang, 2021. "Dynamic Simulation of Integrated Cleaner Production Strategies towards High Quality Development in a Heavily Air-Polluted City in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-17, August.
    3. Hehua Zhao & Hongwen Chen & Lei He, 2022. "Embodied Carbon Emissions and Regional Transfer Characteristics—Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-20, February.
    4. Rong Tang & Jing Zhao & Yifan Liu & Xin Huang & Yanxu Zhang & Derong Zhou & Aijun Ding & Chris P. Nielsen & Haikun Wang, 2022. "Air quality and health co-benefits of China’s carbon dioxide emissions peaking before 2030," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Mudan Wang & Xianqiang Mao & Youkai Xing & Jianhong Lu & Peng Song & Zhengyan Liu & Zhi Guo & Kevin Tu & Eric Zusman, 2021. "Breaking down barriers on PV trade will facilitate global carbon mitigation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    6. 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).
    7. Ling, Zaili & Huang, Tao & Li, Jixiang & Zhou, Sheng & Lian, Lulu & Wang, Jinxiang & Zhao, Yuan & Mao, Xiaoxuan & Gao, Hong & Ma, Jianmin, 2019. "Sulfur dioxide pollution and energy justice in Northwestern China embodied in West-East Energy Transmission of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 547-560.
    8. Keisuke Nansai & Susumu Tohno & Satoru Chatani & Keiichiro Kanemoto & Shigemi Kagawa & Yasushi Kondo & Wataru Takayanagi & Manfred Lenzen, 2021. "Consumption in the G20 nations causes particulate air pollution resulting in two million premature deaths annually," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Gang Li & Akihiko Yanase, 2022. "Trade, Resource Use and Pollution: A Synthesis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 83(3), pages 861-901, November.
    10. Xu, Jiajun & Wang, Jinchao & Li, Rui & Yang, Xiaojun, 2023. "Spatio-temporal effects of urbanization on CO2 emissions: Evidences from 268 Chinese cities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    11. Wang, Xin & Yang, Jianxun & Zhou, Qi & Liu, Miaomiao & Bi, Jun, 2022. "Mapping the exchange between embodied economic benefits and CO2 emissions among Belt and Road Initiative countries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    12. Fangjin Xu & Qingxu Huang & Huanbi Yue & Xingyun Feng & Haoran Xu & Chunyang He & Peng Yin & Brett A. Bryan, 2023. "The challenge of population aging for mitigating deaths from PM2.5 air pollution in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    13. Hui Wang & Guangxing Ji & Jisheng Xia, 2019. "Analysis of Regional Differences in Energy-Related PM 2.5 Emissions in China: Influencing Factors and Mitigation Countermeasures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-14, March.

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