The "No Nuke Asia Forum 2005" continued yesterday in Taipei, with participants from around the world exchanging opinions on the development of renewable energy and the anti-nuclear campaigns in their countries.
The forum, which began last Thursday and will run until Wednesday and was organized by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU), has attracted representatives of environmental protection groups from Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Russia and the US.
The participants visited several nuclear plants Friday and had talks with residents near the plants.
TEPU Chairman Shih Shin-min (施信民) noted that the Cabinet convened a national energy conference in 1998, setting a goal that renewable energy should account for 1 percent to 3 percent of the country's total energy capacity. At that time, the government did not have the idea of promoting a nuclear-free country.
In 2003, the government began anti-nuclear campaigns, setting its new goal in which renewable energy should account for 10 percent of the total by 2010.
Expressing hope that the government can fulfill its promise, Shih complained that even the 10 percent goal will still lag behind that of advanced countries.
Citing the example of Denmark, which has efficiently developed renewable energy such as hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass power, Shih noted that the European country's renewable energy accounts for 40 percent of its total.
With the Kyoto Protocol taking effect in February, which aims to limit the global emission of greenhouse gases, the EU hopes that renewable energy can account for 22 percent of each country's total by 2020.
However, Taiwan can only reach 12 percent goal by that time, Shih added.
According to Shih, Taiwan has been promoting hydro, wind, solar, geothermal and biomass power, but with low efficiency.
He urged the government and the people to show more concern for the environment and to focus on renewable energy.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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