Fri, Sep 13, 2002 page3

• Forums provide Taiwan with soapbox

  OPTIONS While the nation's delegates didn't have the authority to present their ideas through formal channels at the WSSD, they did find ways to get their message across

  • By Chiu Yu-Tzu / STAFF REPORTER
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  Delegates who were unable to take part in the formal proceedings at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg, where leaders from the world gathered to attend the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), found a way to voice their concerns by attending forums.

  Four case studies detailing environmental issues in Taiwan were presented during a six-day World Sustainability Hearing, a parallel event to the UN summit in Johannesburg organized by the US-based Earth Island Institute between Aug. 26 and Aug. 31.

  In addition, Taiwan's anti-nuclear activists took part in a series of Global Green Network events sponsored by the Green Party in Johannesburg, obtaining a chance to host the Green Party's Asian-pacific Forum in Taipei next year.

  Taiwanese students, working through the International Association of Students in Economics and Management (AIESEC), one of the largest students organizations in the world, are planning activities pertaining to the promotion of environmental education aiming at sustainable development

  World Sustainability Hearing

  Kelly Jones, executive director of the World Sustainability Hearing, told the Taipei Times in Johannesburg that the hearing was a forum for people whose interests would otherwise be unrepresented at the World Summit.

  Jones said that the World Sustainability Hearing aims to provide a forum for everyday people to participate in important global governance discussions. Jones added that instead of letting governments and corporations define the problems and propose solutions, "we're letting the people speak for themselves."

  After summarizing the findings of the hearing, the panelists, witnesses and organizers of the hearing will submit an analysis of environmental threats and sustainable development problems to delegates representing their nations and big decision-making bodies, such as the UN, the WTO, the IMF, and the World Bank.

  "We can't force them [the organizations] to read it or to act on it. But we can put it in front of them," Jones said.

  Case studies from Taiwan

  On Aug. 26, at a session on renewable energy at the World Sustainability Hearing, Lai Wei-chieh (賴偉傑) of the Taiwan-based Green Citizen Action Alliance, gave a presentation about Taiwanese grassroots groups and their fight against the establishment of the nation's Fourth Nuclear Power Plant while Lin Tze-luen (林子倫) of US-based Taiwan Environmental Action Network (TEAN) worked as a translator on the presentation.

  Activists of TEAN, including Lin and another co-chair, Tu Wen-ling (杜文苓), acted as go-betweens during the preparation of the hearing. They introduced four case studies detailing environmental issues in Taiwan.

  At the hearing, Lai spoke about Kungliao's (貢寮) fishermen and their resistance to the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant -- the nuclear reactors and power generators of which were designed by the US but will be built by Japanese firms.

  "Of course, Taiwan, like many other places, are victims of multi-national corporations' searching for new markets globally," Jones said.

  Meinung reservoir struggle

  Another case presented at the hearing featured the Meinung people's struggle against the establishment of a reservoir. Soong Ting-dong (宋廷棟) and his anti-dam allies from the Meinung People's Association in southern Taiwan gave a speech about their 10-year opposition to the establishment of a reservoir, widely known as Meinung Dam (美濃水庫), which was regarded by the government as the best solution to the predicted water demands of a planned industrial complex in a neighboring county.

  In addition, Ku Yu-Ling (顧玉玲), secretary-general of Taiwan Association for Victims of Occupational Injuries reported on a notorious soil and groundwater pollution case in Taiwan, which was caused by the US-based RCA company from 1970 and 1992.

  The pollution received widespread publicity in 1998 when former workers from the plant were found to have a high incidence of various forms of cancers. Around 1,000 were diagnosed with cancer of whom about one fifth have already died.

  Jeff Hou (侯志仁), international coordinator of the Spoonbill Action Voluntary Echo (SAVE) committee in the US, shared his experience of working with Taiwanese groups to halt the Pinnan Industrial Complex's (濱南工業區) proposal of establishing a site where the black-faced spoonbill -- an endangered species with a worldwide population less than 1,000 -- settles down for the winter.

  "Local experience is actually the most useful tool linking Taiwanese NGOs and their counterparts in the rest of the world," Hou told the Taipei Times.

  Like so many others concerned about the disproportionate influence of big business, hearing participants will seek to hold the UN accountable -- through independent grassroots efforts -- for policy developments that exclude the voice of such groups.

  Green Party

  Meanwhile, anti-nuclear activists also scored a success in Johannesburg through international networks. According to Green Party Taiwan spokesperson Lai Fen-lan (賴芬蘭), at events held by the Green Party in Johannesburg, Taiwan's tentative position in the sector of global environmental governance was strengthened.

  Most international environmental pacts, such as the complex Kyoto Protocol, require industrialized countries and developing ones to share "common but differentiated" responsibilities.

  Taiwan's responsibilities will be further defined at the Green Party's Asian-pacific Forum, which will be held in Taipei next year, Lai said.

  "As the Kyoto Protocol is expected to be implemented by the end of this year, we need to clarify Taiwan's stance," Lai said.

  At the summit, many panel discussions were carried out by young people, who represent a third of the world's population.

  Youth participation

  On Aug. 27, about 60 young people gathered to call on governments to ensure their future at a dialogue event jointly organized by the Young Managers Team of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the AIESEC.

  In addition the hosts, organizations involved included Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, GEO Juvenil Peru, multinational companies, the UN Environment Program, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the South African government.

  Sherry Kuo (郭士筠), the only representative of AIESEC in Taiwan at the summit, said that Taiwanese students were relatively distant from international affairs and thinks there is a need to broaden Taiwanese students' views.

  "Back home, we plan to promote both international exchange projects and local environmental education for college students," Kuo, who just graduated from Tunghai University in summer, told the Taipei Times.

  One of the largest student organizations in the world, AIESEC is a global network with 50,000 members across more than 83 countries and territories at more than 800 universities world-wide.

  Currently, there are 13 branches of AIESEC in Taiwan's universities.
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