Workshop on Sustainable Development Indicators
Chung-Li, Taiwan, 17-19 November 2001
 
Sustainable-Development Indicators for Taiwan

Jiunn-Rong Yeh1, Shang-Lien Lo2, Ling-Ling Lee3, Jin-Tan Liu4,
Juju Chin-Shou Wang5, and Shu-Li Huang6

1. Department of Law, National Taiwan University, 21 Hsu-Chow Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, keryeh@ms5.hinet.net
    

2. Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, 1 Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, sllo@ccms.ntu.edu.tw
    

3. Department of Zoology, National Taiwan University, 1 Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, leell@ccms.ntu.edu.tw
    

4. Department of Economics, National Taiwan University, 21 Hsu-Chow Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, liujt@ms.cc.ntu.edu.tw
    

5. Center for General Education & Graduate Institute of Sociology, National Tsing-Hwa University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang Fu Rd., Hsinchu , Taiwan, julia606@ms18.hinet.net
    

6. Graduate Institute of Urban Planning, National Taipei University, 69, Sec. 2, Chien-Kao N. Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, shuli@mail.ntpu.edu.tw

ABSTRACT

Taiwan has gone a long way in its transformation from a "milk cow" periphery to an island-state, from rural economy to industrial economy, and from authoritarian regime to liberal democracy. A sustainable Taiwan is certainly a just cause for the citizens and government of Taiwan at the turn of the century. This paper reports on the process and progress of collaborated efforts in developing sustainable development indicators for Taiwan.

First, an extended Pressure-State-Response (driving force) system, highlighting the linkage between the impact of social and economic pressure on the state of the environment and resources, and related institutional responses, was adopted as the basis of the indicator system. After reviewing indicators that have been widely used to evaluate sustainability at national and international level by other countries and international organizations, while considering Taiwan's salient features-its insularity, scarce natural resources, catastrophe-prone ecosystems, colonial legacy, dense population, trade-dependent economy, constantly-changing society, struggle for identity, etc.-a set of preliminary indicators for measuring the sustainability of "Island Taiwan" was selected for further examination.

Later, experts and scholars from different disciplines were invited to comment on the preliminary indicators. The availability of data to assess each indicator was also evaluated. Such efforts resulted in a revision of the preliminary indicators. Meanwhile, on account of the high concentration of people living in the metropolitan areas of Taiwan and differences in the environmental, social and economic conditions between cities and other parts of the island, a set of indicators for "Urban Taiwan" was also developed to provide information concerning the sustainability of cities in Taiwan. This set of indicators will assist in the assessment of Taiwan's sustainability through the development of cities.

After further evaluation and discussion, a set of 81 indicators was proposed for measuring the sustainable development of "Island Taiwan" and a set of 29 indicators was proposed for measuring the sustainable development of "Urban Taiwan" (see below). A preliminary assessment based on this indicator system was conducted, and the results were discussed.

Currently, more effort is being devoted to improving the indicator system so that it can better serve the functions of policy warning, policy reflection and policy guidance, establishing mechanisms for regular assessment, raising public awareness of sustainable development issues, and assisting in the creation of sustainable development indicators at local, regional and international levels.