Environmental groups yesterday held a parade in Taichung, calling on the government to work harder to cut air pollution and coal use, and outline plans to achieve a carbon-neutral society.
The annual parade was headed by Air Clean Taiwan chairman Yeh Guang-perng (葉光芃) and Changhua Mayor Lin Shih-hsien (林世賢) of the Democratic Progressive Party, who dressed as “tree men” to draw attention to climate issues.
Participants gathered at a park in front of the city government’s new municipal building and marched to the Executive Yuan’s Central Taiwan Joint Services Center.
Photo: Su Chin-feng, Taipei Times
This year is the most crucial time for people to choose a future of sustainability or extinction, Lin said.
The mayor called on the government to face environmental crises by making climate action a priority and working harder to cut coal use.
The parade organizers urged the government to declare a climate emergency and promote new “green” policies; improve air pollution and cut coal use, especially in central and southern municipalities; and announce a timetable to achieve a carbon-neutral society by 2050, Yeh said.
Photo: Su Chin-feng, Taipei Times
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday said in a statement that the government agrees with the groups on reducing pollution.
Since 2018, the EPA and the Ministry of Economic Affairs have tracked pollutants emitted by coal-burning power plants and other major state-run enterprises, and have created plans to cut pollution, it said.
Increasing power generation from green energy and natural gas, and reducing the use of coal-fired power are central to the government’s policy for curtailing pollution, the EPA said.
The ratio of coal-burning power is to decline from 48 percent in 2018 to 27 percent by 2025 under the government’s plan, it said.
In Taichung, the frequency of “red” air quality alerts from monitoring stations — meaning that the air quality has reached an unhealthy level for all people — fell from 71 times in 2016 to five last year, it said.
In areas in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, the frequency of red alerts decreased from 279 times in 2016 to 50 last year, it said.
To establish more carbon reduction tools and incentives, the EPA is preparing amendments to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act (溫室氣體減量及管理法), the EPA said.
It has also created an online “climate talks” platform to promote its pollution control efforts and gather opinions about its next actions, it added.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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