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Estimating the Effect of China’s 2013 Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan

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  • Lutz Sager

Abstract

In 2013, China introduced the ambitious Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan (APPCAP) targeting ambient fine particle (PM2.5) pollution. Using panel data covering 239 countries and territories worldwide, from 2000 to 2019, I provide quasi-experimental estimates of nationwide reductions in PM2.5 exposure achieved since 2013. I find that the APPCAP lowered PM2.5 exposure of the average Chinese resident in 2019 by over 20%, reducing PM2.5-related deaths by between 220 and 280 thousand depending on estimation strategy. Monetizing the mortality reductions with recent values of statistical life suggests total benefits of up to 1 trillion Renminbi or 1% of Gross Domestic Output.

Suggested Citation

  • Lutz Sager, 2025. "Estimating the Effect of China’s 2013 Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan," CESifo Working Paper Series 11826, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11826
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    File URL: https://www.ifo.de/DocDL/cesifo1_wp11826.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    air pollution; health; mortality; regulation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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