Estimating the value of a statistical life in China: A contingent valuation study in six representative cities

Chaoji Cao; Xinke Song; Wenjia Cai; Yichao Li; Jianhui Cong; Xueying Yu; Mengzhao Gao; Can Wang

doi:10.1016/j.cjpre.2023.11.009

Estimating the value of a statistical life in China: A contingent valuation study in six representative cities

Chaoji Cao
, Xinke Song
, Wenjia Cai^*
, Yichao Li
, Jianhui Cong
, Xueying Yu
, Mengzhao Gao
, Can Wang

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Economics and Management

Department of Earth System Science
Tsinghua University
Center for Healthy Cities
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control
Center for Statistical Science
Department of Industrial Engineering
School of Economics and Management
Shanxi University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

The value of a statistical life (VSL) is a crucial tool for monetizing health impacts. To explore the VSL in China, this study examines people's willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce death risk from air pollution in six representative cities in China based on face-to-face contingent valuation interviews (n = 3 936) from March 7, 2019 to September 30, 2019. The results reveal that the WTP varied from CNY 455 to 763 in 2019 (USD 66–111), corresponding to a VSL range of CNY 3.79–6.36 million (USD 549 395–921 940). The VSL in China in 2019 is estimated to be CNY 4.76 million (USD 689 659). The statistics indicate that monthly expenditure levels, environmental concerns, risk attitudes, and assumed market acceptance, which have seldom been discussed in previous studies, significantly impact WTP and VSL. These findings will serve as a reference for analyzing mortality risk reduction benefits in future research and for policymaking.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	269-278
Number of pages	10
Journal	Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment
Volume	21
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjpre.2023.11.009
State	Published - Dec 2023

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Keywords

Air pollution
China
Contingent valuation method
Value of a statistical life
Willingness to pay

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10.1016/j.cjpre.2023.11.009

Cite this

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title = "Estimating the value of a statistical life in China: A contingent valuation study in six representative cities",

abstract = "The value of a statistical life (VSL) is a crucial tool for monetizing health impacts. To explore the VSL in China, this study examines people's willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce death risk from air pollution in six representative cities in China based on face-to-face contingent valuation interviews (n = 3 936) from March 7, 2019 to September 30, 2019. The results reveal that the WTP varied from CNY 455 to 763 in 2019 (USD 66{\textendash}111), corresponding to a VSL range of CNY 3.79{\textendash}6.36 million (USD 549 395{\textendash}921 940). The VSL in China in 2019 is estimated to be CNY 4.76 million (USD 689 659). The statistics indicate that monthly expenditure levels, environmental concerns, risk attitudes, and assumed market acceptance, which have seldom been discussed in previous studies, significantly impact WTP and VSL. These findings will serve as a reference for analyzing mortality risk reduction benefits in future research and for policymaking.",

keywords = "Air pollution, China, Contingent valuation method, Value of a statistical life, Willingness to pay",

author = "Chaoji Cao and Xinke Song and Wenjia Cai and Yichao Li and Jianhui Cong and Xueying Yu and Mengzhao Gao and Can Wang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Shandong Normal University",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.cjpre.2023.11.009",

language = "英语",

volume = "21",

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T1 - Estimating the value of a statistical life in China

T2 - A contingent valuation study in six representative cities

AU - Cao, Chaoji

AU - Song, Xinke

AU - Cai, Wenjia

AU - Li, Yichao

AU - Cong, Jianhui

AU - Yu, Xueying

AU - Gao, Mengzhao

AU - Wang, Can

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - The value of a statistical life (VSL) is a crucial tool for monetizing health impacts. To explore the VSL in China, this study examines people's willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce death risk from air pollution in six representative cities in China based on face-to-face contingent valuation interviews (n = 3 936) from March 7, 2019 to September 30, 2019. The results reveal that the WTP varied from CNY 455 to 763 in 2019 (USD 66–111), corresponding to a VSL range of CNY 3.79–6.36 million (USD 549 395–921 940). The VSL in China in 2019 is estimated to be CNY 4.76 million (USD 689 659). The statistics indicate that monthly expenditure levels, environmental concerns, risk attitudes, and assumed market acceptance, which have seldom been discussed in previous studies, significantly impact WTP and VSL. These findings will serve as a reference for analyzing mortality risk reduction benefits in future research and for policymaking.

AB - The value of a statistical life (VSL) is a crucial tool for monetizing health impacts. To explore the VSL in China, this study examines people's willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce death risk from air pollution in six representative cities in China based on face-to-face contingent valuation interviews (n = 3 936) from March 7, 2019 to September 30, 2019. The results reveal that the WTP varied from CNY 455 to 763 in 2019 (USD 66–111), corresponding to a VSL range of CNY 3.79–6.36 million (USD 549 395–921 940). The VSL in China in 2019 is estimated to be CNY 4.76 million (USD 689 659). The statistics indicate that monthly expenditure levels, environmental concerns, risk attitudes, and assumed market acceptance, which have seldom been discussed in previous studies, significantly impact WTP and VSL. These findings will serve as a reference for analyzing mortality risk reduction benefits in future research and for policymaking.

KW - Air pollution

KW - China

KW - Contingent valuation method

KW - Value of a statistical life

KW - Willingness to pay

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M3 - 文章

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SN - 2096-9589

VL - 21

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JO - Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment

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IS - 4

ER -

Estimating the value of a statistical life in China: A contingent valuation study in six representative cities

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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