Stop global warming now
The unpredictable and incredible impact of climate change is appalling. Our planet is endangered. Burning oil and coal in an abusive manner are key causes of climate change. Moreover, the exploitation of natural resources by human beings has worsened the scenario, destroying the environment.
The Arctic and Antarctic ice caps are melting at an unimaginable speed and glaciers have been whittled down to mere ice blocks. If they continue to melt, sea levels will rise 6m in 20 years, with grave consequences for Taiwan.
In a BBC report last year about the Maldives, the head of conservation at a local resort said there would “be more tidal surges, more swells, and more storms” because of climate change.
“Tidal surges will not only increase the risk of houses and communities being flooded, but will also result in a higher level of salt water on local vegetation — which will impact on food production too,” the resort staffer said.
Because of climate change, a very bad future is waiting for us. Most pitifully, a large number of people could become homeless as a result of climate change.
The disasters happening around the world should teach us that we cannot ignore climate change.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has held conferences in the past few years on research concerning climate change.
It has also publicized the goals of the Kyoto Protocol to the whole world.
One IPCC report identifies 13 major cities worldwide that will be submerged by seawater in 20 years.
Although Taiwan is not a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, along with countries like Bangladesh, it could be among the first to see parts of its population uprooted by rising sea levels.
Taiwan should be concerned about weather phenomena such as El Nino and its impact.
Beware of the Maya belief that the world will end in 2012. This is not alarmist — it is something for all humans to ponder.
After all, governments worldwide should undertake proactive measures to combat climate change — not just write out plans on paper. Actions speak louder than words.
MELODY WU
Jhonghe, Taipei County
Consumers want safe goods
Common sense tells us that no product or service will be rejected as long as it is deemed necessary and safe for consumption.
If my products or services were rejected, I would do some self-reflecting, after which I would determine to improve myself and move on rather than continuing to voice my deep regret.
The US will always have the potential to improve itself, and Taiwan will continue to do business with the US.
MICHAEL TSAI
Tainan
No more scaremongering
The development and implementation of the vaccination program against A(H1N1) influenza is a remarkable and most discouraging example of disorganization and unpreparedness.
The Centers for Disease Control may have thought it was doing everything in its power to protect the public, but it has left the job half done. The lack of scientific support for some of the side effects that have been reported and the failure to account for the more serious medical conditions and deaths that have occurred within days or weeks of receiving a vaccination have resulted in a circus of misinformation for which the public will suffer.
While it is true that the government has failed to respond adequately to the matter of side effects, the media are to blame for irresponsible reports on claims regarding side effects.
The media’s concentration on unsubstantiated reports is regrettable. Yet its insinuation is that in absence of medical proof, the severe side effects and deaths must have been caused by the vaccination.
The message is that this could happen to you or your child if you proceed with the vaccination. The media has scared the public to death without reason and has scared them into inaction.
The government was wrong — but the media’s culpability is much worse. It has told only half the story, spread fear without scientific grounds and almost completely stopped government efforts to halt the spread of swine flu.
PETER RYAN BRADY
Taipei
On Sept. 3 in Tiananmen Square, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) rolled out a parade of new weapons in PLA service that threaten Taiwan — some of that Taiwan is addressing with added and new military investments and some of which it cannot, having to rely on the initiative of allies like the United States. The CCP’s goal of replacing US leadership on the global stage was advanced by the military parade, but also by China hosting in Tianjin an August 31-Sept. 1 summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which since 2001 has specialized
In an article published by the Harvard Kennedy School, renowned historian of modern China Rana Mitter used a structured question-and-answer format to deepen the understanding of the relationship between Taiwan and China. Mitter highlights the differences between the repressive and authoritarian People’s Republic of China and the vibrant democracy that exists in Taiwan, saying that Taiwan and China “have had an interconnected relationship that has been both close and contentious at times.” However, his description of the history — before and after 1945 — contains significant flaws. First, he writes that “Taiwan was always broadly regarded by the imperial dynasties of
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will stop at nothing to weaken Taiwan’s sovereignty, going as far as to create complete falsehoods. That the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has never ruled Taiwan is an objective fact. To refute this, Beijing has tried to assert “jurisdiction” over Taiwan, pointing to its military exercises around the nation as “proof.” That is an outright lie: If the PRC had jurisdiction over Taiwan, it could simply have issued decrees. Instead, it needs to perform a show of force around the nation to demonstrate its fantasy. Its actions prove the exact opposite of its assertions. A
A large part of the discourse about Taiwan as a sovereign, independent nation has centered on conventions of international law and international agreements between outside powers — such as between the US, UK, Russia, the Republic of China (ROC) and Japan at the end of World War II, and between the US and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) since recognition of the PRC as the sole representative of China at the UN. Internationally, the narrative on the PRC and Taiwan has changed considerably since the days of the first term of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) of the Democratic
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