Beyond Particulate Matter: New Evidence on the Causal Effects of Air Pollution on Mortality

52 Pages Posted: 8 Jun 2022 Last revised: 22 Feb 2023

See all articles by Maoyong Fan

Maoyong Fan

Ball State University - Department of Economics

Hanchen Jiang

University of North Texas - Department of Economics

Maigeng Zhou

Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention - Non-Communicable Disease Center

Date Written: May 1, 2022

Abstract

The increasing global demand for electricity has led to a rise in coal consumption, which has in turn led to an increase in sulfur dioxide (SO2) pollution levels. Despite the severity of this issue, conclusive evidence regarding the causal relationship between SO2 pollution and health, particularly in developing countries, is lacking. We leverage a large national environmental regulation policy, implemented in China to reduce SO2 emissions, to estimate the impacts of SO2 on mortality. We find that 1-µg/m3 reduction in SO2 concentrations leads to 2.40 fewer deaths per 100,000 children under the age of 5 (1.5% decrease) and 20.48 fewer cardiorespiratory deaths per 100,000 people aged 60 years and above (1.1% decrease) annually.

Note:
Funding Information: None to declare.

Conflict of Interests: None to declare.

Keywords: Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Pollution, Air Pollution, Mortality, Environmental Regulation, China

JEL Classification: Q53, I15, I18, Q58

Suggested Citation

Fan, Maoyong and Jiang, Hanchen and Zhou, Maigeng, Beyond Particulate Matter: New Evidence on the Causal Effects of Air Pollution on Mortality (May 1, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4116956 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4116956

Maoyong Fan

Ball State University - Department of Economics ( email )

Whitinger Business Building, room 201
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Muncie, IN 47306-0340
United States
765-285-5741 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.google.com/site/maoyongfan/home

Hanchen Jiang (Contact Author)

University of North Texas - Department of Economics ( email )

Denton, TX 76203-1457
United States

Maigeng Zhou

Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention - Non-Communicable Disease Center ( email )

Beijing 100050
China

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