2012 Taiwan_Climate_Change_Summit by tw unfccc

Joint Action, United Effort Working Together To Meet The Challenge of Climate Change Melting of Ice

Ecological Devastation

Heavy Rainfall

Rising Sea Levels

2012 Taiwan Climate Change Summit Joint Action, United Effort

Working Together To Meet The Challenge of Climate Change

Extreme Weather

Extreme Temperature

Facing climate change, we remain undaunted and embrace the future; Through the Citizens CafĂŠ, we remove urban-rural boundaries; At the climate change conference, we selflessly take part To forge consensus and protect our homeland

Flood and Mudsilde

Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration Joint Action, United Effort

Working together to combat climate change

The second group focused on agriculture and biodiversity and called for quality assurance for agriculture-use water, farmland management, and incentives to bring youths to villages to revitalize farming. As for food safety, production should begin with better care of animals, while breeding information, price transparency, local production and impor t monitoring should be encouraged. In terms of biodiversity, the government should create evaluation

Public Participation

– new form of dialogue

World café timeline for the climate change summit in 20XX

Selfless contribution, innovative solutions

April 22, 2010 On Earth Day 2010, President Ma made a promise to environmental groups to hold a national climate change conference attended by citizens as well as the industry, government and academia representatives.

n t h e f a ce o f c l i m at i c c h a n g e, t h e E nv i r o n m e n t a l Pr o t e c t i o n

Administration (EPA) since Earth Day 2010 had been holding roundtable-

climate change’s impact on biodiversity. The government’s long-established biodiversity databases and foreign species monitoring mechanism should also be implemented locally. The third group focused on water resources,

amifications of climate change are deep and wide.

energy supply and industr y, calling for

Seeing the disasters caused by climate change in recent

maximum-quantity control, water conservation

years, people have realized there is no time to waste. That’s

and review of agricultural water policy under the

why during the national conference that brought together

condition food safety is ensured. As for power

style forums in the format of a “citizens

2010 to May 18, 2012

environmental groups as well as government, industry

consumption, the government should propose

café,” gathering industry, government,

District meetings were held in northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan to gather input from all sides in a bottom-to-top approach.

and academia representatives for the first time, everyone

clear carbon-reduction and nuclear-free energy

and academia representatives to discuss and debate the issues in a bottom-to-top approach as part of its endeavor to formulate climate change

EPA Deputy Minister Yeh Shin-cheng

response measures. The forums culminated in Taiwan’s first-ever NGO-initiated climate change conference, a promise President Ma Ying-jeou had made to environmental groups on Earth Day 2010. Roundtable meetings were held in northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan. Through flexible, small group discussions, participants were able to reflect on the issues, share knowledge and look for solutions. After two years of preparation, 855 issues were identified and divided into 61 topics under four discussion groups. The four groups were led by Green Party Taiwan, the Homemakers United Foundation, Green Citizens’ Action Alliance, and National Association for the Promotion of Community Universities. They collaborated with the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Council for Economic Planning and Development, Council of Agriculture and EPA to draft the final presentations, which were delivered to President Ma on June 6, 2012. The goal was to turn climate change into a national issue and spur the government to adopt response measures. 2

and response mechanisms to minimize

Joint Action, United Effort

May 19, 2012 The gym of National Taiwan Normal University was the venue for open, bottom-to-top dialogues by industry, government and academia representatives who discussed the 855 issues obtained from the district meetings, divided into 61 topics under four discussion groups. Government and NGOs sat down and carried out a lively exchange of ideas in the first two-way dialogue aiming to forge consensus.

contributed actively and listened attentively, selflessly sharing their knowledge. Over a year’s time, participants of the four district meetings identified 855 issues and divided them into 61 topics under four discussion groups. Green Party Taiwan, Homemakers United Foundation, Green Citizens’ Action Alliance, and National Association for the Promotion of Community Universities led the discussion groups and held two-way communications and dialogues. policy based on zero electricity demand growth, The first group discussed preventive education and focused on

promote alternative energy to achieve energy

June 5

four aspects – natural disasters, basic infrastructure, land usage,

independence, and allow small and medium

Green Party Taiwan, the Homemakers United Foundation, the Green Citizens’ Action Alliance, and National Association for the Promotion of Community Universities led the group discussions and made substantive proposals.

and the coast. The group advocated that preventive education

enterprise participation in making industrial

begins at home and should be supported with government-

development greener.

June 6 President Ma attended the conference a n d l i s te n e d to t h e a d v i ce f ro m fo u r NGOs, expressing determination that the government will treat climate change as a national security issue and act accordingly.

provided prevention and environmental information that should be easily understood and obtained. As for land

The four th group discussed health and

usage, respect for Taiwan’s natural environment is needed,

environmental education, which it said

and traditional farming methods should be maintained. A

should be ex tended from school to the

homeland security department should be established under

community. Volunteers are needed to raise

the Presidential Office tasked with formulating industry

people’s environmental awareness, enhance

development policies, while the “green passbook” concept

implementation and achieve sustainable growth

should be adopted to encourage environmentally friendly acts.

of the community. Working together to combat climate change

National security and risk recognition

Taiwan Climate Change Summit wraps up

protection department to show a respect for life. Leader of the third group, the

together, sat down face-to-face to try to deal with

Green Party Taiwan presented

Green Citizens’ Action Alliance

Taiwan’s most serious climate change issues.

on behalf of the first group

mentioned maximum-quantity

President Ma’s attendance went to show how important

and cited Taiwan’s sensitive

control and water conservation

the government regarded the issues. He kept the

environment, for which an overall

and urged authorities to adopt

promise he had made to environmental groups two

risk assessment should be made.

clear water distribution strategy

years earlier, and the climate change conference was

The concept of “returning land to

and rec ycled water qualit y

held.

river” was mentioned as excessive

standards, enforce recycling of reclaimed water, and

President M a listened and responded to the

water-related developmental projects have threatened

enhance management of hills where reservoir water is

suggestions of the environmental groups, taking a

better than staying in our homes when disaster is upon

the ecosystem and may lead to disasters. As such,

gathered. Energy policy should be centered on “zero

team approach in tackling the global phenomenon.

us.” In the future, the environment’s condition will

construction sites of government-sponsored green

growth of electricity demand,” with the hope of creating

He first addressed the issue of energy conservation and

be taken into consideration before major economic

architectures should be part of the environmental and

a nuclear-free and low-carbon society. A green economy

CO2 reduction – a priority of his administration. Even

decisions.

water conservation review.The group also called for all-

should be the goal for industrial development policy,

though Taiwan’s CO 2 emission was reduced by 2.61

The government is working toward becoming more

encompassing environmental resource and damage

while subsidies should be canceled to expedite industry

million tons in 2011, there still lies a great challenge

self-sufficient in food. The “Small Landlords and Big

inspections. No special privileges should be granted

upgrade. The critical next step would be to set up an

to reach the goal of decreasing emissions to the level

Tenant-farmers” policy has shown positive results in the

for development of protective or non-developmental

official “cross-ministry taskforce on climate change”

observed in 2005 by year 2020. The issue must be

four years it has been in effect. Fallow land decreased

areas, and civilians should participate in the policy-

based on citizens’ participation and enacted through

integrated into new policies so the government can

while leased land reached 9,700 hectares. The president

making process. The critical next step would be to allow

legislation.

work on quickly passing the Greenhouse Gas Emissions

emphasized that GDP is not the only consideration

Reduction Act.

when it comes to policy-making. A few years ago

n June 5, the conference was ready to begin, and

On that day, the government and the public got

the group discussions entered their final stages.

full participation and monitoring by civilians and to

R.O.C. President Ma Ying-jeou

National Association for the

the government began promoting the idea of “gross

Promotion of Community

national happiness” with emphasis on low carbon

The Homemakers United Foundation said Taiwan’s land

U n i ve r s i t i e s , l e a d e r o f t h e

emissions.

and food policy should be based on ecological balances

fourth group, warned of the full

The goal of zero growth in electricity use may not be

and food mileage reduction. Children should be taught

impact of climate change on the

achievable in the short term, but people should not

to be friendly to the environment and consume locally.

environment and highlighted the

belittle the impact they can make with the adoption

The group also called for clearer agricultural retail data,

importance of corporate social

of a low-carbon lifestyle. Community colleges can

price transparency, agricultural safety management

responsibility. Environmental education, community

also help introduce a low-carbon lifestyle. President

systems, improved animal and

building, and social environmental education can

Ma emphasized that the government and public are

plant vaccination and health

be done through community colleges. Community

on the same page when it comes to issues regarding

inspections, and a change in

volunteers can help promote vegetarian meals and a

As for disaster prevention, the Ministry of the Interior

environmental protection, climate change and

animal farming starting at the

green lifestyle. Junior high and high school field trips

had already drawn up an evacuation map because

conservation. He was happy to see that people could

production side. The Council of

and graduation trips may take the form of low-carbon

preventive measures are important to the public’s

express their opinions rationally through a citizens café.

Agriculture should also separate

eco-tours, allowing youths to experience and learn

safety. “We would rather err on the side of caution,

The opinions voiced are important in his government’s

its husbandry and animal

about the ecosystem.

evacuating our homes when there’s a false alarm is

policy-making process.

carry out communication instead of confrontation.

une 6, 2012 marks an important date for Taiwan.

Joint Action, United Effort

Working together to combat climate change

Taking the right step in policy-making, the collective power of the public

Good interactions for a better future n Earth Day in 2010, President Ma made a promise

their concern for the environment. “As long as everyone

to environmental groups to hold a climate change

communicated with sincerity, information disclosure

conference. The success of the event from that very

and smooth communication will ensue in a solution

different fields had the chance to share their opinions

beginning to the end relied on the active participation

that’s agreed upon,” she said.

and together saw the reality of the situation, so they

and close attention demonstrated by all conference

can give advice to the government. As Shen said,

attendees. They made suggestions based on key

Organizational change is imminent when faced with the

there are three principles to public policy: “information

issues, creating a brighter future for Taiwan’s ecological

urgent attention needed on the ecological environment

disclosure,” “participation,” and “damage compensation.”

environment.

and with the many government departments involved

surface. After a year of discussions, representatives from

Public participation and information disclosure ensure

in the issue of climate change. Representatives of the

credibility because they can protect people’s rights

public do not want to see their suggestions being

from being violated. However, risk-assessment and risk-

kicked from one department to the next. Private

ational discussions among industry professionals,

management are two different things. Experts must

enterprises should also participate. The environmental

government officials, academics and researchers

determine if risks are present, and if so, what their level

groups urged for the inauguration of a climate change

is, before making decisions.

department in order to avoid obstacles and difficulties

wrapped up the two-day conference. EPA Minister

in law enforcement.

Stephen Shen said that an important outcome of the event was the establishment of a good dialogue

It is very important to find out if risks exist before

platform. Such an effective model will benefit

deciding whether or not to take them. Debates must

the execution of policies, as well as the country’s

not proceed and decisions must not be made before

development and its people’s welfare.

enough information has been collected and experts

The National Climate Change Conference, the first

separates us is not physical boundaries, but our different

have expressed their views. When communicating with

in Taiwan’s history, collected opinions in a two-year

opinions and ideas. But people found their own voice

the public, the government must use language that is

span. The goal was to provide a platform for industry

in a common language at the round tables of the

understood by the public, otherwise communication is

professionals, scholars and government officials to

conference. We believe that all the different groups had

not achieved.

exchange ideas and speak their mind.

found a model for cooperation and that Taiwan is thus

The advice given to the government is the fruit of over

All participants were eager to offer their ideas

a year of communication and discussion. The public

and provide detailed information. Some used

and private sectors used the rare opportunity to

their information as proof while others shared the

build a model for dialogue. It is believed there will

information they had. There were also heated debates

be more opportunities for public participation

at some tables. None of this interrupted the conference

EPA Deputy Minister Shin-Cheng Yeh, who participated

in policy-making, where thorough

in any way. Instead, in the active participation and open

in the entire program, felt very proud of the model,

communication with representatives

communication solutions emerged. At the end of the

especially after seeing different groups coming

of the public will increase the validity

summit, the leader of one of the tables said, “This is just

together in small group discussions and sharing

and richness of information during the

the beginning! We shall continue this conversation.”

their knowledge. The public is the foundation of this

discourse in policy making. The problems

dialogue model, which puts aside political agendas and

from climate change are therefore tackled as

According to Kao Ju-ping, the public’s distrust and

focuses on long-term benefits, allowing real issues to

a team to protect the future of the country.

opposition to certain major constructions stem from

We all breathe the same air and live on the same land on the beautiful island of Taiwan. The thing that

better protected from the threats of climate change.

Joint Action, United Effort

EPA Minister Stephen Shen

Working together to combat climate change