灰色のスモッグがたちこめる北京市の天安門広場で1月16日、設置されている巨大スクリーンに「輝く日の出の画像」が映し出された。
中国の山東省が展開する観光キャンペーンの一環として流されたものだが、夜が明けていく美しいこの画像は、数日間にわたって北京の空を覆っているどんよりとした灰色の雲と著しい対照をなしている。
中国北部では数年前からひどい大気汚染が続き、「Airpocalypse（大気＋黙示録：「大気汚染による世界の終末」を意味する造語）」と揶揄されている。1年前にも、スモッグのなかで天安門広場の巨大スクリーンに映し出された青空の画像が話題になった。
1月第3週、北京の大気汚染は2013年1月以来、最も深刻なレベルとなった。北京の米国大使館が計測するPM2.5の値は、世界保健機関（WHO）による環境基準値（1日25マイクログラム）の26倍（671マイクログラム）に達した。
米TVネットワーク「NBC」の報道によると、北京市当局は市民に対してマスク着用を呼びかけている。英紙「デイリー・テレグラフ」は、米国大使館が「屋外での活動を差し控えるよう」注意を促していると伝えている。
「デイリー・テレグラフ」紙はさらに、1月16日には皮肉な文言がスクリーンに躍ったと伝えている。「大気環境の保護は、ひとりひとりの責任」というものだ。
なお、天安門広場の巨大スクリーンは、2009年に、中国建国60周年を記念して設置されたものだ。観光地紹介や政府広報に用いられている。
[Charlotte Alfred(English) 日本語版：遠藤康子/ガリレオ]
ハフィントンポスト日本版はFacebook ページでも情報発信しています。
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中国 大気汚染 画像集
(01 of17)
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)
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(03 of17)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)