The provinces of China have suffered from severe PM_2.5 pollution in recent years, presenting a significant threat to human health. Identifying associations between mortality rate and PM_2.5 level is extremely useful for a range of purposes, such as the development of preventive measures, increasing health awareness, and establishing disaster warning systems. Based on remote sensing data, station monitoring data, and statistical data, this paper uses the exposure response function, regression analysis, and kriging to evaluate the number of deaths in China’s 31 provinces caused by PM_2.5 pollution in 2015. Variations in the number of deaths and mortality rates in China under different PM_2.5 concentration control standards have been simulated by a range of countries and organizations helping to develop optimal control standards for each province individually according to actual PM_2.5 concentration. These results show that:
1) PM_2.5 pollution has an important effect on the mortality rate in China. The rate caused by PM_2.5 pollution in 2015 accounted for 1.75‰, or approximately 2.62 million people and 31.14% of all deaths in China.
2) Strict control standards for PM_2.5 concentration can bring significant health benefits, with projections that if PM_2.5 concentration in China’s provinces were controlled to the level set by China, the EU, Japan, USA, and Australia, the number of deaths caused by PM_2.5 pollution would be reduced by approximately 0.95, 1.52, 2.02, 2.26, and 2.49 million people, respectively, or 36.24%, 58.08%, 79.91%, 86.47%, and 95.20% compared with baseline year data.
3) Choosing appropriate control targets for limiting PM_2.5 concentrations in different provinces in China is an effective way to obtain optimal health benefits. Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan should adopt a 35 μg/m³ standard with a 25 μg/m³ standard appropriate for Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Shanxi, and Xinjiang; 13 provinces, including Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet, Gansu, Qinghai, and Ningxia, should adopt the 15 μg/m³ standard; and Hainan should consider choosing a 12 μg/m³ standard.