Taiwan hosted two events in New York on Wednesday to raise awareness of climate change and the rights of indigenous peoples in advance of Earth Day today, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York said.
TECO hosted a seminar with the Council of Indigenous Peoples, with discussions focused on indigenous issues, climate change and human health, echoing the theme of the 22nd session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
The forum began in New York on Monday and runs through Friday next week, with the theme: “Indigenous peoples, human health, planetary and territorial health and climate change: A rights-based approach.”
TECO New York Director James Lee (李光章) spoke of the importance of indigenous language revitalization and protecting the indigenous rights in an address to an audience of more than 100 at the seminar, including UN-posted foreign officials and those participating in the UN forum.
Taiwan promulgated the Indigenous Languages Development Act (原住民族語言發展法) in June 2017, under which indigenous languages are defined as national languages, Lee said.
Indigenous cultures can offer solutions to ecological conservation and food security, among other challenges, Lee said.
Research on the climate resilience of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, citing the devastation caused by Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan in 2009, was presented by students from Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society.
Morakot tore through central and southern Taiwan in August 2009, causing serious flooding and massive landslides, including one that buried Siaolin Village (小林) in Kaohsiung, killing 462 residents, mostly indigenous people.
The team showed in their research that education, partnership and self-governance help indigenous people respond to natural disasters.
Council of Indigenous Peoples official Yapasuyongu Poiconu said that 60 percent of land in Taiwan is traditional indigenous territory, along with much of the nation’s forests and rivers.
“If we fail to protect indigenous peoples’ traditional territory, it will be difficult for Taiwan to cope with climate change,” he said.
An exhibition for the Creative Climate Awards also opened at the TECO New York office on Wednesday, themed “Inspiring a Climate Renaissance.”
The exhibition highlights the connection between diverse groups and climate change, and is open to the public on weekdays until May 12, the office said.
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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