Taiwan’s Climate Change Education and Public Participation
Table of Contents Preface
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Climate Change Education in Taiwan
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K-12 and Higher Education
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Education for Minority Groups
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Advanced Training
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Public Awareness
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Public Participation
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Preface
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s inhabitants of a densely populated island situated in one of the most geologically and meteorologically sensitive regions in the world, the people of Taiwan are keenly aware of their particular vulnerability to the many threats of accelerating global environmental change. Climate change education can be traced back to the 1980s when energy education was launched by the Energy Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, initially because of the oil shortage crisis and the need to emphasize the importance of energy conservation and energy saving. During the 1980s and 1990s, when anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and resulting global warming attracted more and more attention in the international society, related educational activities also emerged in schools and higher education institutions. Later, in light of developing trends in the world, Taiwan formally adopted the principle of greenhouse gas reduction (carbon reduction) in 2005. Education for energy conservation and carbon reduction began to flourish on all levels. Climate change education is applied on both formal and informal levels in Taiwan. In school education, climate change issues, especially those related to energy conservation and carbon reduction, have been incorporated into the Sustainable Campus Projects of the Ministry of Education. Since 2008, the National Science Council has also been engaged in climate change education activities, such as assisting schools to design curriculums and teaching materials and nurturing green technology talents. Moreover, the Ministry of Education initiated the Climate
Change Adaptation Education Program in 2010, emphasizing the need for adaptation in addition to mitigation, which has been taught for years. In informal education, the Environmental Protection Administration has promoted carbon reduction awareness through many approaches, including conducting the Low Carbon and Sustainable Homeland Project and holding a variety of events and activities at the national, county, and community levels. In advanced training, government agencies held training for the industry in greenhouse gas inventory audit, energy, management, energy saving and carbon reduction counseling, and strengthening professional capabilities. Teachers in every level of the education system integrate cross-field resources to incorporate energy saving and carbon reduction into curriculums through professional knowledge and teaching training. In public awareness and participation, the Environmental Protection Administration held the Climate Summit in 2012 that brought together environmental groups as well as government, industry and academia representatives for the first time, and everyone contributed actively and listened attentively, selflessly sharing their knowledge for the benefit of all. The Environmental Education Act was promulgated in 2010 and came into force in 2011. With a solid legal and administrative foundation, climate change education is becoming one of the crucially important issues in environmental education programs for all stakeholder groups.
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Climate Change Education in Taiwan
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ince 2001, the Ministry of Education has implemented Sustainable Campus Projects, especially in elementary and junior high schools, to fund hardware renovation, such as energy-saving appliances, water recycling and reuse systems, and educational organic farms and eco-ponds. These projects promote instruction and curriculum development and became the foundation for climate change education in Taiwan.
Given the multi-aspects of climate change education, it is necessary to coordinate with various disciplines, including science, p hilosop hy, p sy chology, sociology, c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , a n d p e d a g o g y. Therefore, the 5-year “National Science Technology Program: Energy-Human Resource Development” project brought together government agencies (National Science Council, Ministry of Education, and Environmental Protection Administration), counseling institutions, experts and scholars to deepen climate change education in 2008.
Top Talents Professionals in Lndustries
Advanced Training Lnnovative R&D Personnel
Higher Education
Citizens with Climate Change and Energy Literacy K-12 Education
Teacher Training
Public Awareness Education for and Particpation Minority Groups
The Pyramid of Climate Change and Energy Education and Human Resource Development.
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More than 200 sets of educational materials and lessons are developed, and lots of seminars and workshops are hosted for seed tutor training. Science education researches construct the concept maps of climate change for different backgrounds; build curriculum frameworks for different grades; and design a long term survey of climate and energy literacy.
initiated in 2010. This program incorporates the concept of climate change adaptation into school curriculums, encourages colleges to offer general education for climate change adaptation and supports colleges to develop interdisciplinary programs of climate change adaptation.
K-12 and Higher Education
The Sustainable Campus Projects are to improve school facilities to create sustainable learning environment for students.
Online platforms are established for tutors and the public to link up to climate change information, courses and resources. Thousands of volunteers and seed tutors are trained during climate change-related contests, fairs and exhibitions, which promote the public’s climate change and energy literacy and green lifestyles. Climate change education in Taiwan is completely fulfilled as “Climate Change Adaptation Education Program” was
Taiwan always emphasizes practices and experiences in climate change education
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nteractive, authentic, and modularized instructional aids or digital learning environments of climate change education are developed for K-12 scheme, such as the carbon footprint calculator, carbon reduction Monopoly board game and picture books which could be downloaded from the iBook store. Through inquiry courses, teachers and students discuss current environmental issues and work together to design renewable energy generators or devices.
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Elementary school students learn by carrying out campus inquiry.
G reen Living Campus designed by a student who attended the climate change adaptation camp.
Many assessments are designed to evaluate students’ performance and reflect the characters and qualities of a curriculum. The PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) format results show not only the trend of students’ climate change literacy, but also their attitudes and behaviors toward energy use in junior and senior high schools.
The low cost sun-tracking control system designed by senior high school students won the gold award in Asian Young Inventors Exhibition 2011.
In college education and vocational education, various professional courses, in-service education programs, and interdisciplinary general courses are offered to foster professional human resource. To guide climate change education into a research-based one, and to realize the ideal of “think globally in theory, act locally in practice,” Taiwan has always emphasized practices and experiences in climate change education. T his fruit (lemon) battery is one of various educational modules for high school students.
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Education for Minority Groups Taiwan always considers various needs of multiple backgrounds in climate change education
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n order to provide learning support for the hearing-impaired and visually disabled, special curriculums and learning spaces are designed in educational activities and exhibitions. People with disabilities access appropriate information about climate change by multi-sensory activities which focus on emotions and attitudes. To reduce the urban-rural disparity, three “mobile museums” bring various movies, books, models and teaching materials on climate change and energy education to rural and remote schools or disadvantaged groups. More than 144,000 students, including aboriginal students and orphanage children, have gained knowledge and skills from 2011 to 2013.
Educational researches investigate remote area residents and volunteers, aboriginal communities and mountaineering guides who must adapt to the impacts of climate change, and provide diversity training and education programs.
“Taiwan, the Inconvenient Truth”presents the story of Siaolin Village, which was destroyed by Typhoon Morakot, to remind people to be prepared for extreme weather.
Namasia's Green Diamond Elementary School In 2009, Typhoon Morakot struck the Namasia District, an aboriginal village in the mountains of southern Taiwan and completely destroyed Ming Chuan Elementary School. With the aid of Delta Electronics Foundation, the campus was reconstructed as a green building to meet the spirit of "sustainable net zero energy consumption” and obtained the Diamond Level certificate from EEWH in 2012. This charming school is entirely free of cement and constructed from mostly recycled wood. The architecture has been designed to be durable in extreme weather in the traditional residential (indigenous) style which allows wind and rain to pass freely around and under the building. Electricity is generated by solar panels on the roof of the building, and wind power facilities to meet the goal of "net-zero energy”.
One of the mobile museums is 3D movie theater which plays videos about environmental issue for rural school students.
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Advanced Training Taiwan always provides lifelong training in climate change education
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ntegrating regional resources to establish nine capacity building centers, which are marine energy, transportation, green building, energy economic management, energy storage, wind energy, biomass energy, industrial energy efficiency, and solar energy technology, to promote collaboration between the industry and schools. For industrial personnel such as architects, interior designers, photovoltaic engineers and factory workers, seminars and technology training programs on energy saving and carbon reduction are held to encourage the use of green products and devices. Through wind power, solar power, and green energy business industry exchange and cooperation conferences, manufacturers help foster the development of curriculum to nurture students' practical skills and bridge the gap between learning and doing. People in the service industry enhance professional skills and background theory in hotel industry, restaurant management, hospital service, and property consultant. On-the-job training also encourages concrete action plans and benefits decision-making personnel in different companies and government agencies.
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ď ° Advanced training programs enhance abilities of people in the service industry and develop interdisciplinary experts.
Public Awareness Ta i w a n a l w a y s p ro m o t e s p u b l i c awareness in climate change education
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he government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), museums, and local governments plan various activities (carnivals, dramas, contests, visit tours, etc.) to raise public awareness, especially on Earth Day, and World Environment Day. Activities include energy efficiency and carbon reduction creative animation competitions and online voting, an endglobal-warming creative arts contest, green purchase and low-carbon diet (local and seasonal ingredients) and introducing the concept of disaster prevention and reduction.
Schools and communities also arrange curriculums in community colleges, lectures, field trips, and workshops to facilitate climate change actions. “Low carbon campus visits” allow participants to experience the implementation of low carbon campuses, and carbon reduction can be conducted by the public. People explore various energy sources in the Aim High for a Low-Carbon Taiwan exhibition.
“ Practice Low Carbon Green Living” was held by Environmental Protection Administration on Earth Day 2012.
month. Series exhibitions not only reduce the waste of products, but also promote the public’s climate change awareness. “Taiwan Climate Defense” campaign is also conducted to enhance people’s awareness of mitigation and adaptation on climate change with education and entertainment by the end of 2013.
Take community building issues for example, when architects and energy technology experts work together to help residents reform buildings in the community, green building ideas and climate change information gradually take root in the residents’ mind. In 2011, the "Aim High for a Low-carbon Taiwan" exhibition was held in Taipei for one month with 130,000 visitors. Since then, all its products had been transferred to rural areas – Tatung County for one year and the outlying island of Kinmen for another
T he game of “Taiwan Climate Defense” is adopted for the relevant characteristics of Taiwan and to combine with the concept of mitigation and adaptation.
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Public Participation Taiwan always encourages public participation in climate change education
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onfronted with climate change, the Environmental Protection Administration held roundtable-style forums (citizens cafĂŠs), gathering industry, government, and academia representatives to discuss and debate the issues in a bottom-up approach as part of its endeavor to formulate climate change response measures. 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 (1. natural disasters, basic infrastructure, land usage, and the coast; 2. agriculture and biodiversity; 3. water resources, energy supply and industry; 4. health and environmental education). In the 2012 Taiwan Climate Change Summit, more than 500 participants were eager to offer their ideas and provide detailed information. Some used their information as proof while others shared the information they had. With heated
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debates at various tables, representatives from various fields had the chance to share their opinions and together saw the reality of the situation, so they could give advice to the government.
There will be more opportunities for the public to participate in policy-making, where thorough communication with members of the public will increase the validity and richness of information during the discourse in policy making. The government and the public got together, sat down face-to-face to try to deal with Taiwan’s most serious climate change issues.
The roundtable structure is a way of brainstorming ideas, sharing experiences and speaking participants’ minds.
The World Café Dialogue gathered nearly 2,000 citizens to discuss climate change issues.
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Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration.
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