Impacts of sectoral emissions in China and the implications: air quality, public health, crop production, and economic costs

China has experienced considerable economic losses from a severe deterioration in air quality. To solve this, a comprehensive understanding of the impacts and sources of air pollution is necessary. This study aimed to quantify the environmental and human health impacts of PM2.5 and O3 pollution from the six major emission-producing sectors in China. We utilized a chemical transport model to simulate the air quality impacts engendered by sectoral emissions. The consequent impacts on public health and crop production, as well as the corresponding collateral economic costs, were quantified by concentration-response functions. The results show that the sectoral emissions in 2010 caused approximately 1 143 000 (95% confidence interval (CI): 168 000–1 796 000) premature mortalities and a 20 035 (95% CI: 6776–32 166) Gg crop production loss. Of the six sectors, the industrial sector was the largest contributor of air pollution, accounting for 36% of the total impact on health, as well as 41% of crop production loss due to O3 exposure. The impacts attributable to sectoral emissions in China were estimated to cost ~267 (95% CI: 180–360) billion yuan (0.66% of the annual GDP). Our findings suggest an urgent need to reduce anthropogenic emissions in China, particularly those of the industrial sector. The varying characteristics of impact due to emissions of various sectors highlight the importance of evaluating cobenefits when formulating emission control policies.