The ninth annual Air Pollution Forum began today in Taichung, bringing together representatives from industry, government and academia to discuss anti-pollution policies, energy transition and public health.
At the event, the Ministry of Environment vowed that air pollution governance would undergo three major transformations: dual-track governance of ozone and PM2.5 (particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers or smaller in diameter), targeted reductions and prioritization of public health.
The forum was jointly organized by the Taiwan Association of University Professors, the Taiwan Environmental Righteousness and Energy Transition Association (TERA), the Taichung Medical Alliance and the Taichung City Medical Association.
Photo: CNA
This year centered on the themes of Earth Day and protecting Taiwan's health.
Organizers said the forum's goal was to facilitate exchanges between government agencies and environmental organizations, improve policymaking and strengthen Taiwan's integration with international practices.
Air quality has shown concrete improvements through long-term cooperation between the central and local governments and industry, government, academia and research institutions, Deputy Minister of Environment Hsieh Yein-rui (謝燕儒) said.
The annual average concentration of levels of PM2.5 and the number of days when the eight-hour ozone standard was exceeded have both been gradually decreasing, he said.
Policies have also shifted from simply monitoring figures to placing greater emphasis on protecting people's livelihood and health, he added.
The forum has provided the government with many useful recommendations over the years, TERA chairman Huang Cheng-tsung (黃正聰) said.
While air pollution in central Taiwan has gradually improved, the air quality remains worse than in northern Taiwan, he said, adding that compared to advanced countries in Europe and elsewhere, there is still considerable room for improvement.
Organizers said they hoped today's forum would build on last year’s Earth Day theme of "Our Power, Our Planet" and continue promoting the net-zero energy transition.
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