Amendments to the fiscal planning law would mean a significant budget reduction for the Ministry of Environment that would affect inter-regional initiatives such as waste management and net-zero carbon goals, Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) said today.
The ministry faces budget cuts of up to NT$2 billion (US$61.14 million) due to amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法) passed by opposition parties in the Legislative Yuan on Friday last week.
Photo: Chen Chia-yi, Taipei Times
Many projects coordinated by the ministry and executed across counties and cities could be affected, which could disrupt inter-regional initiatives, Peng said in an interview following a press conference about plastic reduction in the hotel industry.
The central government would have less capacity to contribute to net-zero carbon initiatives, which means net-zero targets may need to be adjusted, the minister said.
Subsidies for electric bus operations, which improve air pollution and often support disadvantaged regions, could also be impacted, he said.
In central and southern Taiwan, many asbestos roofing projects may see funds shifted to local governments, he added.
The ministry currently handles public and construction waste management by coordinating with local governments across cities and counties, Peng said
If funding is shifted to local governments, local authorities would need to shoulder more responsibility and differing priorities between regions could lead to certain issues being overlooked, he said.
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