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Ma sees balancing act on environment

Attending a workshop on the environment yesterday, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) vowed to find a balance between economic development and environmental sustainability and encouraged dialogue between government agencies and environmentalists.

Ma said that despite the fact that all policies and political decisions needed to take the environment into consideration , it was not enough for his administration to propose policies on environmental protection.

“The administration will not only pursue economic growth, but also give thought to underprivileged people and the environment,” Ma said, citing the three principles of his administration — growth, public welfare and sustainability.

Ma defended his administration’s raising fuel prices on Wednesday, saying it was good news for the environment because it would stimulate efforts toward energy efficiency.

The move, announced five days ahead of schedule, drew harsh criticism for its handling, prompting Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) to apologize twice.

Ma restated his policies on the environment, including creating a ministry of environmental resources and enacting a law on sustainable development.

Admitting that “no plan is perfect,” Ma said the government should engage in more frequent talks with environmentalists to find a balance between the two sides.

However, his determination to boost Taiwan’s economy has left some environmentalists wondering whether his environmental goals can be realized.

“We can feel goodwill in Ma’s remarks, but we’re going to pay special attention to his actions,” said Green Party secretary-general Pan Han-shen (潘翰聲), adding that some of Ma’s promises appeared to be contradictory.

Ma promised that construction of roads in mountainous areas above 1,000m would be banned, except for the Central Cross Island Highway, which connects Taichung County and Hualien County. The highway has suffered years of damage since the 921 Earthquake in 1999.

The 190km stretch of highway, built in 1956, was the first to be built through the Central Mountain Range.

Damaged again by a typhoon in 2004, a central section of the road has been closed and debate over whether it should be repaired and re-opened continues.
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