Transboundary Health Impacts Of Air Pollution And International Trade.pdf

Millions die prematurely every year from disease caused by exposure to outdoor air pollution. Some studies have estimated premature mortality related to local air pollution sources, but air quality and premature mortality can be affected by atmospheric transport of pollution from distant sources. International trade is contributing to the globalisation of emission and pollution as a result of the production of goods (and their associated emissions) in one region, for consumption in another region. The effects of international trade on air pollutant emissions, air quality, and health have been investigated regionally, but a combined, global assessment of the health impacts related to international trade and atmospheric air pollution transport is lacking.

We link four global models to estimate premature mortality linked to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution as a result of atmospheric transport and the production and consumption of goods and services in different world regions. We find that, of 3.45 million global premature deaths related to PM2.5 pollution in 2007, about 12% or 411,100 were related to air pollutants emitted in a different region of the world, and about 22% or 762,400 were associated with goods and services produced in one region for consumption in another.

Our results reveal that inter-regional health impacts associated with PM2.5 pollution as a result of international trade are higher than those as a result of long-distance atmospheric pollutant transport. Outdoor air pollution and its health impacts have typically been regarded as local or regional problems with similarly local or regional solutions. However, it is increasingly recognized that air quality in a given location can be substantially affected by atmospheric transport of pollution from distant sources.

We estimate that PM2.5-related premature mortality in 2007 was 3.45 million (2.38-4.14 million, 95%CI). We find that about 12% or 411,100 premature deaths were related to air pollutants emitted in a different region of the world, and about 22% or 762,400 were associated with goods and services produced in one region for consumption in another. For example, PM2.5 pollution produced in China in 2007 is linked to more than 64,800 premature deaths in other regions, including over 3,100 premature deaths in Western Europe and the U.S.

Our results indicate that premature mortality related to air pollution is more than just a local issue. International trade is further globalizing the issue of air pollution mortality by separating the locations where goods are consumed from the locations where the emission and related pollution and mortality occur. We estimate that PM2.5-related premature mortality linked to ischemic heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is calculated by using an integrated exposure model that estimate the risk of premature mortality from each of the four diseases at different PM2.5 exposure levels.