Environmental groups yesterday presented the Ministry of Economic Affairs with academic studies on endangered coral showing that it is not feasible to transplant coral away from the planned site of CPC Corp, Taiwan’s (CPC) third liquefied natural gas terminal.
The company plans to build a gas terminal on yet-to-be reclaimed land off Datan Borough (大潭) in Taoyuan’s Guantang Industrial Park.
However, environmental groups say the project could damage the endangered coral Polycyathus chaishanensis and a wide stretch of algal reef off the Datan coast.
Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) said in a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan on Thursday last week that the coral could be transplanted, triggering wide criticism from biologists.
Taiwan Wetland Society researchers, who were commissioned by CPC to conduct environmental studies on the coast, have misinformed Shen, said Academia Sinica biologist Allen Chen (陳昭倫), who discovered the coral on Datan’s coast in June.
“The ministry or the Executive Yuan should set up a forum so academics concerned about the issue can voice their opinions,” Chen said.
Chen and Taoyuan Local Union director-general Pan Chong-cheng (潘忠政) presented studies on the endangered coral and algal reef and called on ministry officials to increase their knowledge of local ecology.
Pan initiated an online petition to protect the endangered coral, which has attracted 7,000 signatures as of Tuesday, including those of former Academia Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) and academician Liao Yun-fan (廖運範).
The Taoyuan Department of Agriculture has been ordered by the Council of Agriculture to collect relevant information to determine if the coral habitat should be designated as a conservation area, Council of Agriculture Minister Lin Tsung-hsien (林聰賢) said at the legislature, responding to questions from New Power Party Legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明).
A decision is expected in six months, Lin said.
The council should assert its position to protect the endangered species, even though CPC’s project has to undergo another environmental review, Hsu said.
The Environmental Jurists Association is to hold a forum about protecting the coral today at the Chinese Culture University in Taipei.
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the
Environmental groups yesterday filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan, seeking to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conditionally approved in February for the Hsieh-ho Power Plant’s planned fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Keelung. The appeal was filed jointly by the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group, the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Keelung City Taiwan Head Cultural Association, which together held a news conference outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Explaining the reasons for the appeal, Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) of the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group said that the EIA failed to address
RSS