Spatio-Temporal Variation of PM 2.5 Concentrations and Their Relationship with Geographic and Socioeconomic Factors in China

Gang Lin, Jingying Fu, Dong Jiang, Wensheng Hu, Donglin Dong, Yaohuan Huang and Mingdong Zhao
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Gang Lin: College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing, Ding No.11 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
Jingying Fu: State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
Dong Jiang: State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
Wensheng Hu: State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
Donglin Dong: College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing, Ding No.11 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
Yaohuan Huang: State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
Mingdong Zhao: College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing, Ding No.11 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China

IJERPH, 2013, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: The air quality in China, particularly the PM 2.5 (particles less than 2.5 ?m in aerodynamic diameter) level, has become an increasing public concern because of its relation to health risks. The distribution of PM 2.5 concentrations has a close relationship with multiple geographic and socioeconomic factors, but the lack of reliable data has been the main obstacle to studying this topic. Based on the newly published Annual Average PM 2.5 gridded data, together with land use data, gridded population data and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data, this paper explored the spatial-temporal characteristics of PM 2.5 concentrations and the factors impacting those concentrations in China for the years of 2001–2010. The contributions of urban areas, high population and economic development to PM 2.5 concentrations were analyzed using the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model. The results indicated that the spatial pattern of PM 2.5 concentrations in China remained stable during the period 2001–2010; high concentrations of PM 2.5 are mostly found in regions with high populations and rapid urban expansion, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in North China, East China (including the Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces) and Henan province. Increasing populations, local economic growth and urban expansion are the three main driving forces impacting PM 2.5 concentrations.

Keywords: PM 2.5; GDP; population; land use change; geographically weighted regression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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