To understand the public health benefits of the Clean Air Action Plan implemented in Shanghai from 2013-2017, the changes of the PM2.5 exposure levels and related health and economic benefits were quantitatively evaluated by using air quality numerical modeling, health risk assessment, and environmental valuation methods. The results show that the proportion of the population exposed to a mean annual PM2.5 concentration lower than or equal to 35 μg·m-3 has increased from 1.62% in the base year to 34.06% in the control year. The death risk attributable to ambient PM2.5 exposure decreased from 15.2% in the base year to 11.9% in the control year. The total health benefits are approximately 11.841 billion RMB(95% CI:5.024-17.819 billion RMB), accounting for 0.55%(95% CI:0.23%-0.82%)of Shanghai's GDP in 2013. The implementation of the action plan has a positive effect on the protection of the health of the population. Health benefits in areas with dense populations and high PM2.5 declines are more pronounced within the outer ring line of Shanghai City.
Keywords: PM2.5; air quality modeling; clean air action plan; exposure; health benefits; mortality.