Taiwan readies for World Summit in Johannesburg

"We are sure that the environmental diplomacy carried out by Taiwan's NGOs can demonstrate Taiwan's democratization to the world."

Lee Chia-lun, project manager of Taiwan Agenda 21, an environmental organization

Both the government and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are heading for the upcoming United Nations' World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in a bid to promote Taiwan.

The upcoming world summit, the 10th anniversary of 1992 Rio Earth Summit, is scheduled run from Aug. 26 to Sept. 4 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

More than 20 Taiwanese environmental groups are trying to raise money so they can attend the conference and promote awareness of Taiwan's democracy and sustainable development initiatives.

In addition to the environmental groups, between 20 and 30 NGOs are trying to persuade potential donors to sponsor a number of projects totaling NT$4.6 million.

At a meeting held at the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday, NGO representatives presented their proposals to publicize Taiwan in Johannesburg to the government, one of potential donors.

More than 20 local environmental and cultural groups proposed topics that address the environment, women, toxic waste, water resources, energy, aboriginal culture and others.

"We have to seize the chance to publicize Taiwan's achievement of promoting sustainable development," said Juju Wang (王俊秀), a sociology professor at National Tsing Hwa University.

Wang, a member of the Asian Pacific Environmental Connection for Sociologists certified by the UN, argued that choosing appropriate topics to speak for Taiwan was essential to making a breakthrough in the international community.

Wang said that Taiwan has been forced by its difficult diplomatic situation to attend environmental events held by the UN in names of diverse NGOs since it lost its UN membership in 1971. About 20 representatives of NGOs from Taiwan attended the 1992 Earth Summit held in Rio, Brazil. Wang is one of the 20.

As China's influence grows, Taiwanese NGO's have fewer opportunities to participate in international events. As the WSSD approaches, China reportedly tried to influence the UN to downgrade Taiwan to the status of one of its provinces.

"We are sure that the environmental diplomacy carried out by Taiwan's NGOs can demonstrate Taiwan's democratization to the world," said Lee Chia-lun (李佳倫), project manager of Taiwan Agenda 21, an environmental organization.

Niven Huang (黃正忠), secretary-general of Business Council for Sustainable Development, Taiwan (企業永續發展協會), said that industry in Taiwan is adjusting to face the inevitable challenges of corporate social responsibility, which is essential to a society promoting sustainable development.

Chen Lee-in (陳麗瑛), a research fellow at the Chung-hua institution for Economic Research, said that Taiwan should focus on the five key areas mentioned by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in May -- areas, water and sanitation, energy, health, agriculture, and biodiversity,

EPA deputy administrator Chang Chu-enn (張祖恩), the secretariat of the government's task force for the WSSD, said that half of the groups' demands might be allocated for their participation in the event after conducting a cross-agency meeting later this week.

"The feasibility of environmental groups' projects will be one of our chief considerations when talking about providing funds," Chang said.

Sustainable development is one of main concepts of Premier Yu Shyi-kun's policies. On June 5, World Environmental Day, the Cabinet's committee for promoting sustainable development will be established. The committee will be lead by newly appointed Minister Without Portfolio Yeh Jiunn-rong (葉俊榮), one of the 20 attending the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Yeh, a former law professor from National Taiwan University, is expected to lead Taiwan at the WSSD.