The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) unveiled a new Web site showcasing the government’s intention to seek participation in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Officials said the Web site, which includes information regarding the agency’s environmental policies, statistics and targets, was a fundamental part of the government’s attempt to seek participation UN specialized agencies, including the UNFCCC.
“This was created primarily to allow the public to better understand the government’s policies and initiatives regarding climate change and the UNFCCC,” EPA director-general of Air Quality Protection and Noise Control Hsieh Yeih-rui (謝燕儒) said.
“We have also included English sections to allow foreign organizations [and readers] to navigate the site more easily,” Hsieh said.
WHA MODEL
Officials from the agency said the objective of the government’s participation at the conference was based on the model of the nation’s admission into the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer (under the name “Chinese Taipei”) earlier this year.
However, the move drew sharp criticism from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇), who called it “irrelevant” because the conference had already started and is scheduled to end tomorrow.
“It is clear that this is another government ploy to fool the public into thinking that the government is actively pushing for participation,” Tien told the Taipei Times, adding that it should have been created much earlier.
“The government is only interested in [talk], this Web site is just a cheap distraction,” Tien said. “While we evidently have difficulties in our [foreign relations], the government should at least be more sincere.”
Environmental organizations earlier criticized the EPA for lacking a comprehensive plan to gain admittance into the UNFCCC and said that the agency relied too much on the “goodwill” from China.
UNDER FIRE
In response to the allegations, Hsieh said the Web site was only created recently because the government’s plan to enter into the UNFCCC involved many agencies.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs only announced on Sept. 21 that we would try to enter the UNFCCC,” he said.
“As a result, we only started [to plan] these initiatives in October and November,” he said.
“Our bid to join the UNFCCC is a cross-departmental project,” he said. “The government is firmly dedicated to participating at the conference.”
However, asked why the Web site contained outdated information despite its recent launch, Hsieh said the team responsible for the Web site was currently in Copenhagen and was unable to comment.
The “Foreign support” section of the Web site contains articles from no later than Oct. 9, while the most recent article in the “Newest information” section is dated Nov. 27.
Hsieh said he would look into the matter and resolve it within a week of the team’s return.
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