Within thirty years after the World War II, industry had widely used the technology of mass production and spurred the global economic development. However, since 1972 various industrial pollution problems have gradually emerged and have impacted humans' living environment. The United Nations therefore raised "Our Common Future" in 1972 and summoned the Earth Summit in 1992. These actions have globally aroused the request to "sustainable development" on the premise of "without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their needs."

In fact, the spirit of sustainable development originates from human culture quintessence. Many nations inherit teachings of the harmonization of nature and environment from their civilization histories. Particularly in Chinese culture, ever since the philosopher Mencius said: "If the seasons of husbandry be not interfered with, the grain will be more than can be eaten. If close nets are not allowed to enter the pools and ponds, the fishes and turtles will be more than can be consumed. If the axes and bills enter the hill and forests only at the proper time, the wood will be more than can be used," (The translation is taken from James Legge's translation of The Work of Mencius, http://nothingistic.org/library/mencius/toc.html) people of all dynasties expected the realization of philanthropy for everlasting welfare from generation to generation.

In the past twenty years, almost all countries of the world have engaged in environmental pollution control and ecology protection. Meanwhile, it has been gradually acknowledged that production and consumption activities compatible with environment are the basic elements in promoting sustainable society. In other words, sustainable development, which involves an industrial role in civilization process, should entail the spirit of sustainable development of society and country. In addition, sustainable development should emphasize a sound use of resources and energy, making the range of pollution impact caused by production and consumption processes within the scope of natural self-restoring capability.

Since the 1980s, after realizing the environmental problems derived from many industries in the fast economic development of "Taiwan Miracle," the government of Taiwan, Republic of China, has devoted itself to the work of prevention, control, and management of industrial pollution. Since early 1990s, the government has actively promoted and implemented source reduction of waste generation, such as pollution prevention and industrial waste minimization. These efforts have all brought remarkable achievements.

The twenty-first century is the era of "Environmental Global Village" that environmental problems gradually become global issues. Taiwan's industry, being closely linked with world trade development, needs more forward-looking strategies and concrete measures to meet the demands of sustainable development. It is hoped that Taiwan can stride well in keeping abreast with the global trend of the "Knowledge-based Economy Era" and can create another healthier and more environmentally friendly "Taiwan Miracle."

 
1.In the 1970s：

The government began to set up basic laws and regulations pertinent to air, water and waste. The main point was to place restraints on obvious pollutants. And the only way for enterprises in response to these laws was to build qualified end-of-pipe treatment facilities.

2.In the 1980s：

The government further added the spirit of environmental risk management to gradually implement broadly restrictions on toxic chemical substances that are easily spread out into natural environment. Meanwhile, realizing the significance of "prevention is better than cure," the government started promoting industrial waste minimization. The government also demonstrated the results to industries for adoption and application.

3.In the 1990s：

The government focused its efforts on prevention and rehabilitation of environmental events and issued the "Environment Impact Assessment Act" to request a sound planning and commitment from proposals of important development projects. In addition, the government issued the "Public Nuisance Disputes Mediation Act" to address the unavoidable environmental responsibilities for industry.

4.In the 2000's：

Laws and regulations were gradually enforced in response to the lasting and proactive requests of environmental performance in industrial countries. These laws and regulations included the "Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Act," which emphasizes continuous environmental responsibilities, and other various strategies and measures facilitating green consumption, environmental-friendly products, and cleaner production.

In general, with the control of environmental protection-related regulations, and guidance of industrial administrative organizations, Taiwan's industry has implemented pollution control, end-of-pipe treatment, industrial waste minimization and cleaner production. Taiwan's industry has built up the concept that environmental problems of single factory need to be explored from the integration of upper and down streams of all environmental protection work. Gradually, Taiwan will possess the essentials of an "Advanced Environmental Protection Country" if more international coordinated work can be conducted.

Taiwan has small territory with a high density of population and factories: 22 million population and 99,000 factories on 36,000 square kilometers. Nevertheless, Taiwan has created more than $280 billion US dollars of national income and more than $100 billion US dollars of export trade annually. Meanwhile, Taiwan ranks the highest in the world in terms of environmental burden and constraint of resource and energy use. Thus, in align with global trend of the pursuit of sustainable development, Taiwan needs to embark more efforts on investment and technology to enhance the linkage between industry and environment. Most of Taiwan's industries are small and medium-sized enterprises. To a large extent these enterprises rely on government on information collection and dissemination, training of employee, and technology assistance and promotion. Government should meet all these needs to allow Taiwan's industry to continuously concern and act on environment-development issues.

1990

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1944

Since 1990

Since 1991

1995

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1944

 
1.The establishment of systematic information accesses:

Ever since the establishment of "Industry Pollution Control Center" in 1983, the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), has actively promoted various work on pollution prevention and control for industry, such as personnel training and technology consultation. In 1987, the IDB established "Industrial Waste Exchange Information Center" for effective waste recycling. In 1989, the "Joint Waste Reduction Task Force (JWRTF) " under the supervision of MOEA and Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) was established. JWRTF served as an inter-agency organization of the Executive Yuan for promotion of industrial waste minimization, with integrated manners on leadership, coordination, and assistance provision.

2.The practices of staged assisting projects:

Since 1990, the government has promoted assisting projects of industrial waste minimization in two stages (five years for each). Through the achievements of factory demonstration projects, the government has gradually led the trend of widely adopted waste minimization in different industries. In total, nearly 300 manufacturers participated in the projects, achieving over 145 million US dollars of economic effects. In 1996, "corporatesynergy system" was initiated, through which the "central" large enterprise served as a head to lead the industrial waste minimization of the small and medium-sized factories in the supply chains. Corporate synergy system successfully disseminated information of the system model and technology.

3.Incentives and propaganda:

Since 1991, the government has selected and awarded organizations, factories and individuals that have achieved excellent performance on industrial waste minimization. This is the work in addition to the use of "Statute for Upgrading Industries" and other related loan measures, which has actively encouraged the installation of pollution prevention facilities. For the past years, the government has also widely rooted the ideas of industrial pollution prevention and concrete technical tools in domestic industry through websites, periodicals, and more than ten technical handbooks of waste minimization for different industries.

In order to comply with the trends of green consumption and environmental management promoted spontaneously by industry, the government and its people have come up with many concrete strategies over the last decade. Table 3 shows the process and achievements related to the promotion of ISO 14001. Explanation is given following the Table.

Since 1996

 
1.The establishment of systems:

In view of the foundation of the environment-related TC 207 Technical Committee in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the National Council for Sustainable Development of Executive Yuan (NCSD) has established the Working Group for ISO 14000 in order to actively set up the promotion system of nationwide industrial environmental management. In addition to the establishment of various Chinese National Standards (CNS) corresponding to ISO 14000 standards, the government also established the Chinese National Accreditation Board (CNAB) in 1997 so as to integrate the management of accreditation and certification.

2.Technical guidance:

Since 1996, IDB has subsidized 184 demonstration groups in five years with the Project for Demonstration, Promotion and Guidance of ISO 14000, and has therefore led the trend of the accreditation of environmental management system in Taiwan's industry.

Around one thousand enterprises have been accredited the ISO 14001 up to 2001. Moreover, the IDB has, through the technical handbooks and training courses, continuously provided the industry with necessary information and professional capabilities that are aimed at environmental management technology of ISO 14000 series, such as environmental performance evaluation and life cycle 3.Green consumption and green procurement:

Since 1992, the EPA Executive Yuan has initiated the Green Mark application project for the promotion of green consumption in public. More than 67 product criteria have been publicized and over 2 billion Green Mark Logos have been granted up to 2001. Besides, in order to arouse industry's interest in producing green products through government procurement, the "Government Procurement Act" passed in 1999 stipulates that government green procurement can be dealt with 10% lower price as an awarding measure.

In align with the global promotion of cleaner production and information exchange projects by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 1990s, Taiwan established the National Center for Cleaner Production (NCCP), Taiwan, ROC in Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in 1995. NCCP actively develops and disseminates information to assist industry and organizations on the practices of cleaner production. In addition, NCCP develops information exchange and cooperation in global community. In fact, much of work at ITRI, such as waste exchanges, resource recycles and industrial waste minimization practices, has achieved remarkable results before NCCP was founded in November 1995.

For six years since its establishment, NCCP has continuously published periodicals, technical handbooks and held seminars and training courses on cleaner production technologies. Meanwhile, NCCP has also actively participated in cleaner production related activities in Asia-Pacific Economic assessment.Cooperation (APEC), and served as the co-chair of Cleaner Production Task Force (CP Task Force) of APEC Industrial Science and Technology Working Group (IST WorkingGroup) from 1998 through 2000. Table 4 lists major achievements of the promotion of cleaner production in Taiwan.

Since 1996

All enterprises regard "sustainable development" as the matter of paramount importance in their business goals. However, routine duties of industry in the midst of international rapid changing circumstances always turn "sustainable development" practices as "less urgent" matters. Taiwan's industries, specifically those small and medium-sized enterprises, are lack of capability on information collection and technology development. These enterprises heavily depend on assistance from governmental work on development of technical tools and information dissemination.

The government expanded NCSD, Executive Yuan in 1997 to take more charges on pertinent affairs of national sustainable development. In 1998, the "Working Group for Sustainable Industry (WGSI)" under NCSD was established in response to those coordinative issues between industrial competitiveness and environmental protection caused by changing situations of international trade and economics. IDB is charged with planning and secretarial work of WGSI. IDB plans to promote sustainable development practices with a coalition force of all governmental agencies. Since its establishment, WGSI has been engaged in work on four areas: ISO 9000, ISO 14000, cleaner production, and development of environmental industry.Regarding the work on four areas as mentioned above, "ISO 9000" and "ISO 14000" belong to the fundamental requirements of the management frameworks, "cleaner production" is the core technical tool to achieve the industrial sustainability, and "development of environmental industry" is a necessary supportive task.

Currently WGSD, steered by IDB, has regularly held the meetings of consulting committee to widely promote every work of sustainable development. This committee is composed of delegates of other government agencies and experts or scholars on related areas. Since the approval of "Promotional Strategy and Practices of Sustainable Industrial Development" by Executive Yuan in 1999, the IDB has implemented a five-year (1998-2003) project to fulfill every work item such as training, promulgation, information exchange, and application as listed in this approved strategy and practices. It is hoped that these practices can be integrated into the existing foundation and experiences and assist Taiwan's industry in keeping abreast with "sustainable development" of the global environmental trend.

Table 5 lists the important governmental practices of promoting sustainable industrial development in the past five years. Table 5 is followed by an illustration of four aspects.

Industrial promotion

Information distribution

Publications

 
1.Publications:

Through the introduction of domestic and international successful cases, the Sustainable Industrial Information Bimonthly, 4,500 copies each issue, has interested industry to learn those successful cases. In addition, the publication of handbooks about cleaner production, eco-efficiency, and corporate environmental reports has provided industry with guidelines of implementation. Besides, the issue of English-version quarterly Sustainable Industrial Development Newsletter and relevant annual reports has introduced the achievements of sustainable development in Taiwan's industry to international community.

2.Promulgation to important industries:

Strengthen the consulting service and dissemination of "sustainable development" information to ten emerging industries selected by the government and to the other fifteen industrial associations with potential impacts on environment. And develop a further partnership with two or three major industrial associations each year.

3.Information dissemination:

In addition to the reinforcement of information dissemination by the interactive website "Sustainable Industrial Development Information Network" (portal.nccp.org.tw), the issue of Cleaner Production E-MAIL NEWS has introduced the world's newest technology to Taiwan's industry. Meanwhile, an average of 500 technical abstracts on industrial sustainability has been annually published. These abstracts are written in short and clear words as a useful reference to industry.

4.Seminars and training courses:

An average of six seminars and training courses focused on the basic knowledge and professional skills demanded by Taiwan's industry in pursuit of sustainable development are annually held. The topics include cleaner production, eco-efficiency, life cycle assessment, design for environment, environmental cost accounting, and corporate environment annual reports.

Sustainable industrial development needs basic concepts, common sense, and the supportive technical tools as implementation guidance. Over the past three years, IDB and relevant agencies have reached great achievements in entrusted projects with respect to the institutionalization of systems and regulations in government agencies, and the reinforcement of cleaner production-related assessment capabilities in private enterprises. These achievements can be explained as follows.

1.Systems and regulations:

Complete the operating framework of relevant agencies and the major annual work formulated by the

WGSD as the basis of five-year plan of promotion. Meanwhile, responsive measures for trade barriers on environmental issues have been discussed to help industry in need. Besides, taxation measures and major incentives necessary for the government's promotion in sustainable industrial development have also been explored considering recent development of environmental cost assessment of other countries.

2.Strengthen the capability of cleaner production assessment:

Complete the technical handbooks of cleaner production for key industries (electronic semiconductor industry and cement industry) and gradually promote industrial "indicators of sustainable development (ISDs)" (currently the ISDs of cement, semiconductor, pulp and paper, petrochemical, artificial fiber, electrical machinery have been completed.) Besides, the software for the evaluation of products' life cycle assessment and design for environment, after testing and amending, has been posted on the website for the use of industry.

In view of the government's measures on promoting industrial waste minimization, cleaner production, and sustainable development in the past, and corresponding achievements in private enterprises, it has indicated that Taiwan has reached the world level on "sustainable industrial development." Moreover, the government and the private sectors have made every effort to meet the key demands of major conventions (e.g. Montreal Protocol, Basel Convention, Framework Convention on Climate Change), even though Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations and cannot be a part in major international environmental conventions.

With regard to technology transference and assistance provided to other countries in promoting waste minimization and cleaner production, Taiwan has held training courses and provided visiting opportunities in international organizations such as Asian Productivity Organization (APO) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). This has indicated Taiwan's willingness to fulfill its duty as a member of the global village.

Taiwan, Republic of China is one of the few countries with industrial policy highly oriented by international trade. For the past thirty years, it has shown that Taiwan's industry is closely interrelated with global economic status as Taiwan moved from export of umbrellas or shoes in early stages to that of computers and information-related products at present. The environmental issues have become more important and more constraints (e.g. the boycott towards environmentally-unfriendly products) are demanding integrative responsive manners. Therefore, a complete coordination between the development of industry and the global trend of environmental protection has become a major task. The importance of this task is thoroughly recognized by the government and private enterprises.

On the road to sustainable development, Taiwan government has made the use of many active and preventive environment regulations and assistant measures. These include "Resources Recycling Act," Green Mark, green procurement, the industrial waste minimization system, guidance of industrial cleaner production, and demonstration and promotion of ISO14001. All these practices have shown that Taiwan has played a leading role in the world while pursuing sustainable development. On the other hand, Taiwan's industry has built up the ability to comply with the demands of global environmental protection as enterprises actively involve in industrial waste minimization, waste exchange, demonstration of ISO14001, and responsive ways to global environmental protection issues (e.g. the substitution of CFC that leads to the depletion of ozone layer).

Taiwan's industries are mostly small and medium-sized enterprises. These enterprises cannot independently handle the information collection and technology adjustment while facing more complicated international issues on resources, energy, and environment. These enterprises need the effort of internal integration and assistance from the promotional work of the government and research institutes.

Over the past twenty years, the IDB has been providing various technical tools, incentives and assistant measures on pollution control, waste minimization, and cleaner production. To accelerate the sustainable industrial development In the future, it is required to actively solve not only the specific problems of domestic industrial development, such as water and energy conservation, recycling of industrial wastes, and the risk of the emissions of hazardous substances, but also the important global environmental protection problems, such as greenhouse gas reduction, and specific global resources depletion. Hence future strategies should continue to emphasize the following three aspects:

1.Continuously collect the domestic and international information pertinent to industrial energy, resources, and environmental protection. And provide industry with responsive guidance and concrete measures.

2.Review and establish the framework of laws, regulations, and adapted strategies and systems that meet the needs of industrial sustainable development. Meanwhile, integrate the assistant and incentive measures of the government so as to encourage industry's voluntary practices as responsive measures.

3.Develop concrete technical tools necessary for industrial sustainability (e.g. cleaner production assessment, life cycle assessment, design for environment, environmental performance indicators), and use accesses such as industrial alliances and corporate synergy systems supported by websites, periodicals, handbooks, training courses, and on-site guidance, to transfer and apply these technologies to industry.

With the growing prosperity of the economy and the improvement of living standard in Taiwan, the pattern of social activities has been switched from the pursuit of materialism to the demands for living quality. Therefore, the importance of solving environment related problems are clearlymedium-sized enterprises. These enterprises cannot independently handle the information collection and technology adjustment while facing more complicated international issues on resources, energy, and environment. These enterprises need the effort of internal integration and assistance from the promotional work of the government and research institutes.

Over the past twenty years, the IDB has been providing various technical tools, incentives and assistant measures on pollution control, waste minimization, and cleaner production. To accelerate the sustainable industrial development In the future, it is required to actively solve not only the specific problems of domestic industrial development, such as water and energy conservation, recycling of industrial wastes, and the risk of the emissions of hazardous substances, but also the important global environmental protection problems, such as greenhouse gas reduction, and specific global resources depletion. Hence future strategies should continue to emphasize the following three aspects:

1.Continuously collect the domestic and international information pertinent to industrial energy, resources, and environmental protection. And provide industry with responsive guidance and concrete measures.

2.Review and establish the framework of laws, regulations, and adapted strategies and systems that meet the needs of industrial sustainable development. Meanwhile, integrate the assistant and incentive measures of the government so as to encourage industry's voluntary practices as responsive measures.

3.Develop concrete technical tools necessary for industrial sustainability (e.g. cleaner production assessment, life cycle assessment, design for environment, environmental performance indicators), and use accesses such as industrial alliances and corporate synergy systems supported by websites, periodicals, handbooks, training courses, and on-site guidance, to transfer and apply these technologies to industry.

With the growing prosperity of the economy and the improvement of living standard in Taiwan, the pattern of social activities has been switched from the pursuit of materialism to the demands for living quality. Therefore, the importance of solving environment related problems are clearly recognized by the public. Over the past thirty years, the government and private enterprises' practices on this need have turned from passive ways of pollution treatment to active measures of pollution prevention.

In recent years, Taiwan actively involves in negotiation and problem solving of global environmental issues in the hope to adjust its development steps in align with global trend. By doing so, Taiwan tries to fulfill its obligation as a member of the global village. It is believed that the only way to foster sustainable industry is to integrate local and global issues of environmental protection and resource development into management philosophy and core practice activities of all business.

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