Beijing has issued its first “red alert” for pollution following widespread outrage for failing to respond to off-the-charts pollution a week ago.

The knee-jerk move highlights the politicised nature of Beijing’s response to its pollution problem, even as negotiators meeting in Paris try to hammer out an agreement that commits nations to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

China’s plan for reining in carbon emissions envisions moving polluting power plants and heavy industry away from wealthy cities in the east, where pollution is a major source of public discontent, while promoting the development of coal-fired industry in poorer regions, especially the arid north and west where rapid gross domestic product growth is the priority.