Candidates face up to green issues

Taiwan environmentalists released the results of a national survey yesterday, one that they say is a gauge of public opinion on environmental issues.

The survey was accompanied by comments from presidential candidates, who urged voters to assess their respective environmental policies when making a decision at the ballot-box.

The Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU, 台灣環保聯盟) said its telephone survey was conducted by Hometown Market Survey Ltd (故鄉市場調查公司) on 1,141 residents around the country. All respondents were over 20 years old.

"Based on the survey, we found that the government does not hold the same opinions as the public, or certain candidates for that matter," said Hsu Kuang-jung (徐光蓉), a TEPU member and a professor of atmospheric science at National Taiwan University.

Hsu said that the survey showed more than 45 percent of interviewees were not satisfied with the state of the environment, while some presidential candidates thought the environment was in good shape.

Hsu said that about half of those interviewed believed that flawed environmental policies are to blame for the worsening situation, while officials for Vice President Lien Chan (連戰) said poor environmental quality was caused by adverse natural conditions in Taiwan.

"It's ironic that environmental officials insist that building incinerators is the only solution to solving waste management problems, while 65 percent of people believe recycling would be a better choice," Hsu said.

In addition, Hsu said 62 percent of interviewees were eager to join the decision-making process.

Lien has suggested that the government should make the final decision after communicating with people.

Hsu said that voters should take candidates' opinions on environmental issues as a reference when they decide who to cast their ballots for.

"Environmental issues should be better addressed by the government, because we found that people with higher education backgrounds want more environmental information," Hsu said.

He added that presidential candidates who have neglected environmental issues so far were equally likely to do so after they were elected.

Environmentalists from several groups, including the Green Citizens' Action Network (綠色公民行動聯盟), said they will begin an aggressive campaign to ascertain candidates' stances toward the construction of the controversial Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.

This would be done by presenting questionaires to all five presidential candidates today, the group said.

Activists said the action would put additional pressure on candidates in a bid to make them face up to the environmental problems Taiwan must deal with, particularly in regard to industrial projects.