中国では大気汚染で毎日4400人が死んでいる(研究結果)

中国の人口3分の1以上の人が定期的に「健康を害する」大気で呼吸している。
|
Open Image Modal
AP Photo

中国の人口約14億人の3分の1以上が、定期的に「健康を害する」大気で呼吸している。

新しい研究によると、中国では大気汚染で毎日約4400人が死んでいる。

カリフォルニアを拠点とする気候調査団体「バークレイ・アース」によると、中国では毎年約160万人死んでいると推定した。死因は地方の大気汚染による健康被害だ。

研究によれば、中国の人口のうち3分の1以上の人が、日常的にアメリカの基準で「健康を害する」と考えられる大気の環境で呼吸しているという。

「これは大きな数値です」と研究グループのリーダー、ロバート・ローデ氏はAP通信の取材に答えた。「ちょっと理解しがたい数字ですね」

研究では中国、台湾、韓国にまたがる1500の地上駅から採取した4カ月間のデータを分析した。研究内容は査読済みの専門誌「プロス ワン」に掲載される。

ニューヨーク・タイムズによると、細かい大気中の粉じんは特にさまざまな健康被害をもたらす。具体的な健康被害として喘息、肺がん、心臓病、脳卒中が挙げられる。世界保健機関(WHO)は2014年、年間700万人が大気汚染にさらされて死んでいると報告している。

中国では長年、大気汚染問題に苦しめられてきた。その大気汚染の主な原因は、車体燃料と同じように、工場や発電所で石炭が燃やされたことによる。

グリーンピースが4月に報告したデータによれば、2015年第1四半期で中国が定める環境大気質基準に達した都市は360都市、全国土の10%だけだった。

これまでの研究では、毎年中国で120万人から200万人が大気汚染が原因で死んでいると推定している。

中国 大気汚染 画像集
(01 of17)
Open Image Modal
A little tourist wearing the PM2.5 mask walk on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(02 of17)
Open Image Modal
Traffic moves along a street as pedestrians walk on an overpass shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(03 of17)
Open Image Modal
Traffic moves along a street as pedestrians walk on an overpass shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(04 of17)
Open Image Modal
Haze surrounds the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in the West Kowloon district of Hong Kong, China, on Monday, April 15, 2013. Hong Kong\'s air pollution index reached the \"severe\" level for the third time this year, triggering a government warning, as the lack of air flow trapped pollutants in the city. (credit:Jerome Favre / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(05 of17)
Open Image Modal
Diesel fumes come out of a tug boat chimney as skyscrapers stand in the Wanchai district of Hong Kong, China, on Monday, April 15, 2013. Hong Kong\'s air pollution index reached the \"severe\" level for the third time this year, triggering a government warning, as the lack of air flow trapped pollutants in the city. (credit:Jerome Favre / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(06 of17)
Open Image Modal
A man wears a mask as he walks down a street in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(07 of17)
Open Image Modal
Traffic moves along a street shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(08 of17)
Open Image Modal
A woman wears a mask as she walks on a street in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(09 of17)
Open Image Modal
This picture taken on January 29, 2013 shows a general view of buildings in the heavy smog in Jilin, northeast China\'s Jilin province. Beijing urged residents to stay indoors on January 30 as emergency measures were rolled out aimed at countering a heavy cloud of smog blanketing the Chinese capital and swathes of the country. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(10 of17)
Open Image Modal
Chinese tourists look at the view from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(11 of17)
Open Image Modal
Two Chinese policemen guard in front of two LED screens on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(12 of17)
Open Image Modal
A general view shows the Guotai Chambers building from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(13 of17)
Open Image Modal
A Chinese tourist takes photos from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(14 of17)
Open Image Modal
Chinese tourists looks at the view from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(15 of17)
Open Image Modal
Tourists visit the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(16 of17)
Open Image Modal
A little tourist wearing a panda mask walk on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(17 of17)
Open Image Modal
The little tourists play on the ground with frozen ice at the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

この記事はハフポストUS版に掲載されたものを翻訳しました。

【関連記事】

Open Image Modal