西方的恐怖主义和中国的雾霾

最近在巴黎和洛杉矶发生的恐怖袭击事件令西方世界陷入恐慌。在11月13日，巴黎遭遇一系列有组织的恐怖袭击，导致数百名正在欢度周末的法国民众死亡。几周后，手持来福枪身穿防弹衣的恐怖分子又在洛杉矶的社会服务设施内大开杀戒，开枪射杀多名正在参加节日聚会的无辜平民。

Recent terrorist attacks in Paris and L.A have sparked widespread fears in the Western world. On Nov. 13, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris killed hundreds of people as they headed into weekend.  A few weeks later, terrorists armed with rifles wearing body armor opened fire at an LA social services facility, killing innocent people who were at a holiday party.

 

但在西方民众面临日趋严峻的恐怖主义威胁之际，另一种担忧也在深深困扰着中国居民，那就是发展迅速但却污染严重的中国常常被雾霾笼罩。由于北京持续严重雾霾天气，中国政府最近在北京启动史上首个重污染天气红色预警。

But as Western people face the growing threat of terrorism, a different type of fear has gripped people in China: smog. As China enjoys a remarkable economic growth, air pollution silently grips the country. Recently, the Chinese government issued its first ever red alert for air pollution in Beijing as heavy smog shrouded the capital.  

当大气中各种悬浮颗粒物含量超标时就会产生讨厌的雾霾天气，污染和雾霾会对人体健康造成持续性危害，同时其也是导致中风、心脏疾病和肺癌的主要元凶，这三种疾病造成的死亡人数约占中国总死亡人数的55%。如果恐怖袭击导致数千人死亡，雾霾致死率更加惊人——中国每年约有100至200万人，也就是平均每天都有2700至 4400人死于严重空气污染。

Pollution and smog can do lasting damages to people’s health. It is one of the major causes for stroke, heart diseases and lung cancer, which account for roughly 55 percent of all Chinese deaths. If terrorism kills one thousand people this year, smog kills at a much more alarming rate: it kills 1-2 million Chinese people each year; that’s about 2700 to 4400 deaths each day.

中国许多地区在重度雾霾压城时，能见度降至仅有200米。据媒体报道，北京地区在出现最严重雾霾时，颗粒污染物浓度达到500微克/立方米，而世界卫生组织(WHO)认为颗粒污染物浓度高于25微克/立方米则不安全。

In many places in China, smog is so thick that people can only see 200 meters in front of them. According to media reports, the air in Beijing, in the worst days, had more than 500 micrograms per cubic meter of poisonous particles. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), anything over 25 micrograms is considered unsafe.

按照中国现行规定，空气质量指数连续三天超过200就必须启动红色预警。据媒体报道，如果中国从2013年开始实施该政策，当局应该已经启动八次红色预警，持续时间达到36天。

China’s current rules call for red alerts whenever air quality surpasses 200 micrograms for three consecutive days on the country’s air-quality index. Had that policy been in place from the beginning of 2013, it would have created red alerts eight times since then, lasting a total of 36 days, according to media reports.

 

雾霾的罪魁祸首众所周知。在近30多年的工业化进程及经济高速增长过程中，全球第二大经济体——中国的空气、水和土壤质量不断恶化。北京的严重雾霾主要是因为工业和取暖燃煤污染排放，以及该市许多建筑工地造成的扬尘污染。此外，中国居民在夏季更喜欢开启空调纳凉，而不愿再使用传统纸扇。在本世纪初，北京只有100万辆机动车，而现在该市机动车数量已经翻了五倍有余，从而导致汽车尾气排放量不断增加，交通堵塞现象也越来越严重。

The source of smog is well-known. More than three decades of industrialization and rapid economic growth have led to deteriorating air, water and soil quality in the world's second-largest economy. The poisonous smog in Beijing is caused by the burning of coal for industry and heating, and huge amounts of dust from the city’s many construction sites. Traditional paper fans have long since been replaced by air conditioning as the preferred means of keeping cool in summer. At the turn of the century Beijing had one million vehicles; now, it has more than five times as many, bringing exhaust fumes and gridlocked streets. 

中国的污染治理面临艰巨挑战，有分析家称尽管政府一直在努力，但并未取得明显进展。随着中国居民对污染的担忧不断加剧，社交媒体平台上也开始不断涌现讨论雾霾的成因和解决方案，以及支招将雾霾危害降至最低和减少相关风险的贴文。

China faces great challenges to clean up pollution. Analysts say that despite governmental efforts, there are few signs of progress. The pollution sparks high levels of fear amongst Chinese residents, as online posts discussing the source and solutions of smog, as well as providing tips to minimize the damage and reduce risks have flooded social media platforms. 

人们或许可以追捕恐怖份子以告慰无辜逝去的生命，但却几乎不可能找到能为污染损害负责的明确元凶。

While we can track down terrorists and hold them responsible for the loss of innocent lives, it is almost impossible to identify the culprits for the pollution to claim for the damages.