Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Minister Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) yesterday vowed to resign next year if air pollution in the nation does not drop by 20 percent by May 20.
At a news conference called to discuss the severe haze that covered the western half of the nation on Wednesday, Lee said the EPA has invested NT$200 billion (US$6.66 billion) to enact 14 policies aimed at ameliorating air pollution.
“While changes cannot be effected overnight, we have seen a gradual improvement,” he said.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
If the number of days when the air quality index signals red — meaning “unhealthy” levels — does not drop by 20 percent, he would take responsibility by tendering his resignation, he said.
The smog over Taipei on Wednesday was a result of pollutants gathered by a low-pressure vortex, Department of Environmental Monitoring and Information Management Director-General Chang Shuenn-chin (張順欽) said.
Department of Air Quality Protection and Noise Control Director-General Tsai Hung-teh (蔡鴻德) said that the agency’s contingency actions include issuing an A-level warning over 16 counties and cities, demanding a decrease in chronic pollutant emissions and calling on Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) to curtail power output.
Photo: CNA
In other developments, Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) yesterday called for a careful evaluation of anti-pollution policies and how they might affect the ability of Taipower to supply electricity.
The Taichung City Government on Wednesday agreed to extend the service life of nine coal-fired generators on the condition that Taipower reduce its coal usage by 24 percent.
Local media reports have also said that Kaohsiung has demanded that Taipower’s Singda Power Plant cut its coal usage by 20 percent by March.
Local governments targeting of Taipower’s coal usage would affect energy supply across the nation, Shen said, calling on the central and local governments to carefully consider how to balance clean-air and power supply policies.
Local governments must be aware that coal-fired plants are baseload plants and reducing coal usage would necessitate their replacement with combined cycle gas turbine generators, which begs the question of how one would acquire a sufficient supply of natural gas, Shen said, adding that the ministry has asked Taipower to conduct an assessment and suggest contingency measures, Shen said.
The ministry’s decision on scaling down its operational energy reserves ratio to 7 percent would depend on the assessment, he said.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Yilan at 11:05pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter was located at sea, about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km, CWA data showed There were no immediate reports of damage. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Yilan County area on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. It measured 4 in other parts of eastern, northern and central Taiwan as well as Tainan, and 3 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and 2 in Lienchiang and Penghu counties and 1
FOREIGN INTERFERENCE: Beijing would likely intensify public opinion warfare in next year’s local elections to prevent Lai from getting re-elected, the ‘Yomiuri Shimbun’ said Internal documents from a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company indicated that China has been using the technology to intervene in foreign elections, including propaganda targeting Taiwan’s local elections next year and presidential elections in 2028, a Japanese newspaper reported yesterday. The Institute of National Security of Vanderbilt University obtained nearly 400 pages of documents from GoLaxy, a company with ties to the Chinese government, and found evidence that it had apparently deployed sophisticated, AI-driven propaganda campaigns in Hong Kong and Taiwan to shape public opinion, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported. GoLaxy provides insights, situation analysis and public opinion-shaping technology by conducting network surveillance
‘POLITICAL GAME’: DPP lawmakers said the motion would not meet the legislative threshold needed, and accused the KMT and the TPP of trivializing the Constitution The Legislative Yuan yesterday approved a motion to initiate impeachment proceedings against President William Lai (賴清德), saying he had undermined Taiwan’s constitutional order and democracy. The motion was approved 61-50 by lawmakers from the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), who together hold a legislative majority. Under the motion, a roll call vote for impeachment would be held on May 19 next year, after various hearings are held and Lai is given the chance to defend himself. The move came after Lai on Monday last week did not promulgate an amendment passed by the legislature that
Taiwan is gearing up to celebrate the New Year at events across the country, headlined by the annual countdown and Taipei 101 fireworks display at midnight. Many of the events are to be livesteamed online. See below for lineups and links: Taipei Taipei’s New Year’s Party 2026 is to begin at 7pm and run until 1am, with the theme “Sailing to the Future.” South Korean girl group KARA is headlining the concert at Taipei City Hall Plaza, with additional performances by Amber An (安心亞), Nick Chou (周湯豪), hip-hop trio Nine One One (玖壹壹), Bii (畢書盡), girl group Genblue (幻藍小熊) and more. The festivities are to
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