韓國加入全球污染最嚴重國家行列

South Korea has joined the ranks of the world’s most polluted countries, with air pollution in the first months of this year soaring to record levels.

韓國已加入全球污染最嚴重國家行列，今年頭幾個月的空氣污染飆升至創(chuàng)紀錄水平。

Long associated with Asian capitals such as Beijing or Delhi, hazardous smog has for weeks blanketed Seoul — a city now appearing among the world’s three most polluted in daily rankings.

有害煙霧最近已連續(xù)數(shù)周覆蓋在首爾上空，這座城市現(xiàn)在在每日排名中名列全球三大污染最嚴重城市。長期以來，有毒煙霧都與北京或德里等亞洲國家首都有關(guān)。

And there is growing concern that much of the root cause of the toxic air, estimated to cost the country up to $9bn each year, lies at home and not in China as the government has claimed.

而且有越來越多的擔心認為有毒空氣的根源是在韓國國內(nèi)，而不像韓國政府所稱的在中國。據(jù)估計有毒空氣每年要耗費韓國政府高達90億美元。

Already this year authorities in South Korea have issued 85 ultrafine dust warnings, up more than 100 per cent from the 41 advisories in the same period last year.

韓國當局今年已經(jīng)發(fā)布了85次超細粉塵警告，比去年同期41次公告高出了100%以上。

Classified as a first-degree carcinogen by the World Health Organization, the invisible nanoparticles known as PM2.5 penetrate deep into the respiratory system and can trigger a variety of illnesses, including cancer.

這種肉眼不可見的納米顆粒被稱為PM2.5，被世界衛(wèi)生組織(World Health Organization)列為一級致癌物，能夠滲入呼吸系統(tǒng)深部，引發(fā)包括癌癥在內(nèi)的多種疾病。

An OECD report found that up to 9m South Koreans could die prematurely by 2060 as a result of current levels of air pollution — the worst projection among members of the group of mainly rich countries.

經(jīng)合組織(OECD)的一份報告指出，由于目前的空氣污染水平，到2060年前可能最高會造成900萬韓國人過早死亡，這是在這群富裕國家成員中最糟糕的預測。

Many in South Korea blame pollutants wafting in from China — but experts say much of the pollution is homegrown.

許多韓國人指責這些污染物是從中國飄來的，但專家表示大部分污染是“國產(chǎn)貨”。

“The government is sitting idly by while passing the buck to China,” said Kim Shin-do, a professor of environmental engineering at the University of Seoul.

首爾市立大學(University of Seoul)環(huán)境工程教授Kim Shin-do表示：“政府一邊將責任推諉給中國，一邊坐視不管。”

“Only after we handle our own air pollution problems can we grasp the extent of air pollution or fine dust [coming from] the deserts in China and Mongolia.”

“我們只有先處理好自己的空氣污染問題，才能掌握空氣污染或(來自)中國和蒙古沙漠的細粉塵的程度。”

The South Korean environment ministry attributes up to 80 per cent of the fine dust to overseas sources during periods of pronounced pollution.

在污染明顯時期，韓國環(huán)境部將高達80%的細粉塵歸咎于海外來源。

But Prof Kim believes China is to blame for only 20 per cent of South Korea’s fine dust. Environmental group Greenpeace puts the figure at 30 per cent.

但Kim Shin-do認為中國僅對韓國細粉塵的20%負責，環(huán)保組織綠色和平(Greenpeace)認為這一數(shù)字為30%。

Pollution-tracking website AirVisual this week found three South Korean cities and no Chinese cities among the world’s 10 most polluted.

追蹤污染的網(wǎng)站AirVisual本周發(fā)現(xiàn)三座韓國城市躋身全球十大污染城市，而中國城市沒有入選。

Much of the country’s pollutants come from vehicle emissions and construction or industrial sites. Power plants also play a crucial role — and energy officials are pushing to develop even more coal-powered capacity.

韓國大部分污染物來自車輛排放和建筑工地或工業(yè)場所，電廠也起到了關(guān)鍵作用，而韓國的能源官員還在推動發(fā)展更多燃煤電廠。

The government operates 53 coal-powered plants and intends to construct 20 more in the next five years. Ten ageing plants will be shut by 2025.

韓國政府現(xiàn)運營53座燃煤電廠，且計劃在未來5年再增加20座。到2025年前將關(guān)閉10座老化的電廠。

Between 2005 and last year, the capacity of the country’s coal-fired power plants increased almost 95 per cent. Burning of the fossil fuel — a source of carbon dioxide emissions and smog — accounts for about 40 per cent of the country’s energy generation.

2005年至去年，韓國燃煤電廠產(chǎn)能增長近95%。燃煤發(fā)電約占韓國發(fā)電量40%，這種礦物燃料的燃燒是二氧化碳排放和煙霧的來源之一。

Meanwhile, nuclear power’s share has slipped to 30 per cent of power generated from 40 per cent in 2005 amid safety concerns and following a series of scandals.

同時，由于安全問題和一系列丑聞，核電在發(fā)電量中的比例從2005年的40%下降到30%。

“Most of the pollutants come from our living environment but the government has been blaming cars, China and even cooking mackerel fish for years,” said Kim Dong-sul, a professor at Kyung Hee University.

慶熙大學(Kyung Hee University)教授Kim Dong-sul表示：“大多數(shù)污染物來自我們的生活環(huán)境，但政府多年來一直怪罪到汽車、中國，甚至烹飪鯖魚頭上。”