Stronger policy required to substantially reduce deaths from PM2.5 pollution in China

Air pollution kills nearly 1 million people per year in China. The Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan (APPCAP, 2013–2017) significantly reduced PM2.5 concentrations, but its health benefits were unclear. Using decomposition analysis of 2000–2017 data, we assessed spatiotemporal dynamics of deaths attributable to PM2.5 pollution (DAPP) and quantified APPCAP’s contribution. Despite a 36.1% increase in DAPP from 2000 to 2017, APPCAP-induced air quality improvements reduced DAPP in 2017 by 64 thousand (6.8%) compared to 2013. However, without stronger policies, further major reductions in DAPP are unlikely, jeopardizing achievement of UN SDG 3 by 2030.