ROC contributes on Earth summit periphery

Publish Date:09/06/2002
Story Type:National Affairs;
Byline:Myra Lu

Clad in traditional Bunun costume, 25 people from Chuping aboriginal village in central Taiwan sang their distinctive eight-toned music as a Bunun harvest dance was performed in front of an audience made up of delegates from around the world attending the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Their presence reminded the international community that Taiwan has not shied away from the environmental issues that concern every citizen of the planet.

Ten years after the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders and members of nongovernmental organizations and corporations gathered again in South Africa to tackle problems resulting from global warming, environmental degradation and a shortage of potable water. Although China tried to block Taiwan's participation, a group of officials and NGO representatives from the island managed to take part in the U.N.-run event.

Yeh Jiunn-rong, ROC minister without portfolio and executive director of the government's Council for Sustainable Development, was invited to speak at the opening ceremony of a parallel event held by the International Research Foundation for Development. The foundation is a nonpartisan and transnational organization operating as a consultative body under the United Nations.

The environmental law specialist from Taiwan said that his country has worked hard to achieve sustainable development and hopes to cooperate with neighboring countries in that regard. He noted that his colleagues are currently at work helping Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam develop indicators for sustainable development.

Yeh pointed to the controversy surrounding construction of the fourth nuclear power plant as a painful case of the government's drive to turn Taiwan into a "green silicon island." The dispute, he said, has led to an agreement between the ROC's legislative and executive branches to become a nuclear-free country. He pointed out that the project had to continue because the budget had already been passed. Through future legislation, Yeh promised, the government will one day enforce the development and use of renewable energy to gradually phase out nuclear power.

The building of the fourth nuclear power plant was part of the energy policy formulated by the former Kuomintang administration. The debate on whether or not a small island such as Taiwan needs four nuclear plants intensified as the Democratic Progressive Party took power in 2000, even though the plant was already one-third complete at the time. The DPP has long opposed nuclear power, arguing that nuclear fallout from a potential accident would have disastrous effect on the island and that there is yet no way to properly dispose nuclear waste given the existing state of technology.

Government officials from Taiwan were also present at a world summit peripheral event called the Water Dome. Chen Shen-hsien, deputy director of the Water Resources Agency, said that Taiwan can offer practical assistance to African countries where water shortage and sanitation have become major problems.

"Taiwan has accumulated vast experience in water resource management and civil engineering technology that can be of help to countries in need," Chen was reported as saying.

A score of nongovernmental organizations from Taiwan pitched in to man their own pavilion at the Civil Society Global Forum--another event taking place on the periphery of the summit--to introduce their conception of an environmentally friendly lifestyle. According to the head of the delegation, Juju Wang, people were especially interested in methods of making organic compost and turning used oil into soap.

Wang pointed out that the Taiwan group has enjoyed the opportunity to meet with environmental groups from other countries to share experiences, exchange views on sustainable development and trade T-shirts.

Aside from these activities, the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa and the Johannesburg Zoo cosponsored a two-week photograph and art exhibition on the beauty of Taiwan's ecology. The world-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, who is a frequent guest on Taiwan's lecture circuit, was invited to speak at the closing ceremony of the show.

Goodall praised Taiwan's efforts to protect endangered species and mentioned the wild sika deer in Kenting National Park by name. Since the government began a program to repopulate the species in 1984, the number has grown from a mere dozen to over 400. Goodall said that members of the international community had a false impression about Taiwan because they do not understand the place.

The conservationist said she hopes to increase environmental awareness among the younger generation through her "Roots and Shoots" program. According to Goodall, more than 60 countries, including Taiwan, are participating in the initiative.