On the eve of World Environment Day, environmental groups yesterday staged a demonstration urging the president to rethink the nation’s nuclear power policy.
The Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU), together with 13 civic environmental groups and legislators, gathered on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei with yellow banners that read: “I love Taiwan, not nuclear disasters.”
They said that World Environment Day was set up to remind people to pursue economic development and improvement in quality of life under the premise that the environment cannot be sacrificed.
The nation’s unchanged nuclear power policy is in contrast with the government’s promotion of World Environment Day, TEPU secretary-general Lee Cho-han (李卓翰) said, adding that nuclear power harms the environment and departs from the goals of sustainable development.
They protested against prolonging the life of the nation’s three operating nuclear power plants and the construction of a fourth plant. They also called for all nuclear power plants to be thoroughly re-evaluated and shut down immediately if they fail to pass safety inspections.
“According to the weekly journal Nature, Taiwan has two nuclear power plants with more than 3 million people living within a 30km radius ... and if a level-seven nuclear crisis were to happen in Taiwan, it would destroy the nation,” said Wang To-far (王塗發), an economics professor at National Taipei University.
Wang said that while Germany has decided to shut down all its nuclear plants by 2022 and other nations are reconsidering their nuclear policy, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) should do the same.
Wild at Heart Legal Defense Foundation chairman Robin Winkler said the Ma administration was irresponsible, as it was afraid of offending businesses on World Environment Day.
If the government will not stand up to protect the people, then the people will have to find ways by themselves, he said.
Coinciding with World Environment Day, the Environmental Education Act (環境教育法) comes into force today.
The law, passed last year, obligates the central and local governments to set up environmental education funds and establish authentication systems for environmental education agencies, personnel and facilities.
Staff at government branches of all levels, including the president and the premier, and employees of state-run enterprises are required to take four hours of environmental protection classes each year.
People who disobey the law could be fined at least NT$5,000 or forced to shut down operations and take up to eight hours of environmental education lessons.
To celebrate World Environment Day, the Environmental Protection Administration is inviting the public to log on to its “EcoLife” Web site (http://ecolife.epa.gov.tw), which offers tips on how to save electricity, reduce carbon emissions and other information on environmental protection.
A series of activities promoting environmental awareness will also take place nationwide today, includes beach clean-ups, lectures, second-hand book sales, eco-friendly markets, as well as hiking in Miaoli County and a film display at the Wugu Wetland Ecological Park education center.
For details of the activities, visit the official Web sites of the local governments.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The
RSS