The "No Nuke Asia Forum 2005" continued yesterday in Taipei, with participants from around the world exchanging opinions on the development of renewable energy and the anti-nuclear campaigns in their countries.
The forum, which began last Thursday and will run until Wednesday and was organized by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU), has attracted representatives of environmental protection groups from Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Russia and the US.
The participants visited several nuclear plants Friday and had talks with residents near the plants.
TEPU Chairman Shih Shin-min (施信民) noted that the Cabinet convened a national energy conference in 1998, setting a goal that renewable energy should account for 1 percent to 3 percent of the country's total energy capacity. At that time, the government did not have the idea of promoting a nuclear-free country.
In 2003, the government began anti-nuclear campaigns, setting its new goal in which renewable energy should account for 10 percent of the total by 2010.
Expressing hope that the government can fulfill its promise, Shih complained that even the 10 percent goal will still lag behind that of advanced countries.
Citing the example of Denmark, which has efficiently developed renewable energy such as hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass power, Shih noted that the European country's renewable energy accounts for 40 percent of its total.
With the Kyoto Protocol taking effect in February, which aims to limit the global emission of greenhouse gases, the EU hopes that renewable energy can account for 22 percent of each country's total by 2020.
However, Taiwan can only reach 12 percent goal by that time, Shih added.
According to Shih, Taiwan has been promoting hydro, wind, solar, geothermal and biomass power, but with low efficiency.
He urged the government and the people to show more concern for the environment and to focus on renewable energy.
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