Survey shows Taiwan slightly greener

A survey released yesterday showed that while people believe the nation's environment has improved slightly, much work still remains to be done.

The survey, conducted by the Taiwan Gallup organization at the request of a local civic organization, marked a grassroots effort to celebrate Earth Day (世界地球日) today.

The poll was carried out in mid-April with a group of 1,081 respondents aged 20 and above, who were asked to score items such as air and water quality, industrial waste control and soil conservation.

"The country's environmental protection leaves ample room to be desired," Liu Ming-lung (劉銘龍), executive of the Environment Quality Foundation, told a morning news conference yesterday.

The combined scores in the different categories averaged 76.05 percent for the year 2000, down 1.94 percentage points from the previous year, the survey indicated.

"Considering the latest figures, the DPP-led government slightly outperformed its KMT predecessor in environmental protection," Liu noted. But he warned against any feeling of complacency, as the overall indexes remained high.

Taipei County topped the list with 77.8 percent, trailed by Kaohsiung City at 76.96 percent and Taichung City at 76.92 percent -- all of whom are under DPP control.

"There seems to be a gap between the central and local governments in their perception of the importance of environmental protection," pollster Tim Ting (丁庭宇) said.

Over half of those polled favored calling a referendum on whether to complete construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (核四) during this December's elections of lawmakers and city mayors and county commissioners.

DPP legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄), who was invited to speak on the survey, said it would strenghthen the resolve of his anti-nuclear colleagues to stoke the spat anew on the campaign trail.

Independent lawmaker Jao Yung-ching (趙永清) agreed with the observation but suggested that it would be more desirable to put the issue to the people.

"It is the governed, not the governors, that should have the final say on the matter in line with the principles of democracy," said Jao, an anti-nuclear advocate.

Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), new head of the Environmental Protection Administration, got a 32 percent approval rating, with most saying they hadn't yet formed an opinion.