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The Effect of Air Pollution on Mortality in China: Evidence from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Author

Listed:
  • Guojun He

    (Department of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Institute for Emerging Market Studies, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

  • Maoyong Fan

    (Department of Economics, Ball State University)

  • Maigeng Zhou

    (National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

Abstract

By exploiting exogenous variation in air quality during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, we estimate the effect of air pollution on mortality in China. We find that a 10-μg/m^3 (roughly 10%) decrease in PM_10 concentrations reduces monthly standardized all-cause mortality by 6.63%. The mortality reduction during the Olympics is mainly driven by fewer cardiocerebrovascular and respiratory deaths. Extrapolating our results to all urban areas in China, we estimate that the economic benefits from averted pre-mature deaths would range from 380 billion to 6 trillion Yuan annually if PM_10 concentrations were reduced to the WHO guideline level of 20 μg/m^3.

Suggested Citation

  • Guojun He & Maoyong Fan & Maigeng Zhou, 2015. "The Effect of Air Pollution on Mortality in China: Evidence from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games," HKUST IEMS Working Paper Series 2015-03, HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies, revised Jan 2015.
    • Handle: RePEc:hku:wpaper:201503
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    air pollution; mortality; particulate matter; 2008 Beijing Olympic Games;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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