Local governments should create special agencies to take charge of energy policy and cross-agency platforms to coordinate policy, environmental groups said yesterday.
“The role of local governments is critical as questions remain over whether they are capable of handling the extra funding,” Green Citizens’ Action Alliance deputy secretary-general Hung Shen-han (洪申翰) said.
Based on the Executive Yuan’s plans, local governments are to receive NT$7.3 billion (US$242.8 million) in funding over the next three years to push power-saving measures, although many lack a central agency to coordinate local policy, Hung said.
“The lack of concentration is a recipe for overlap and waste,” Hung said, adding that lack of permanent personnel has ensured that many of the “green” energy offices established by local governments are “empty shells” and prevented them from engaging in long-term planning and training.
“While several northern cities have put forth some solid policies, there should be a clearer bureaucratic structure to ensure continuity,” he said.
Local responsibility for energy policy is divided between local agencies as diverse as environmental protection departments, economic development departments and urban development departments, Citizen of the Earth Energy and Industry Division director Tsai Hui-sun (蔡卉荀) said.
As an example, officials responsible for these matters in Hualien County are found in its tourism department, Tsai said.
Hualien has previously declined to submit energy-saving plans to take advantage of central government subsidies, with efforts in many southern localities also lagging, she said.
“Energy use is very high across the south, but while many localities have put an effort into developing solar energy, they have not put any effort into saving energy,” Tsai said.
Local governments should also simplify the application process for installing solar panels and other small-scale renewable energy devices, Homemakers United Foundation director Wu Hsin-ping (吳心萍) said, adding that households can take up to a year to fulfill government requirements.
Environmental groups are to review local governments’ environmental policies this month, with results and report cards to be issued in January next year.
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