Health benefits of on-road transportation pollution control programs in China

Abstract

Significance On-road vehicles have become a significant source of air pollution in Chinese cities. Air pollution in China has substantial impacts on public health and is thought to be responsible for millions of deaths each year. The government has implemented comprehensive control measures to mitigate vehicle emissions since the late 1990s. In this paper, we analyze how the historical control actions during 1998–2015 affected air quality and public health. We constructed an integrated framework combining emission scenarios, air quality modeling, and population health risk assessment. Our results demonstrate that the control measures have led to substantial improvements in public health and provide insight into strategies for further mitigation of negative effects from China’s future motorization on air quality and public health.