The new Ministry of Environment officially started operations on Tuesday after a plaque-unveiling ceremony and inauguration of its first minister, Shieu Fuh-sheng (薛富盛).
The ministry was upgraded from the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) established in 1987 after a law to redesignate the EPA a ministry cleared the legislature on May 9 and was promulgated by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on May 24.
Addressing the plaque-unveiling ceremony, Tsai said the ministry is determined to respond to global trends and expressed confidence it would work with various sectors of society to help accelerate the nation’s transition to netzero emissions.
Photo: CNA
Tsai also praised Shieu for his promotion of research into the circular economy as president of National Chung Hsing University in Taichung from August 2015 to last month.
During his time there, Shieu led the establishment of the country’s first academy dedicated to the circular economy at the university’s Nantou campus, Tsai added.
Shieu said that environmental sustainability is not just a mission but also a grave challenge facing the world, adding that he would strive to tackle the challenge and combat climate change in his new position.
Shieu also outlined his vision for upgrading the nation’s management strategies for pollution, from control to prevention and improving environmental education, while working closely with domestic academic and research institutions and the business sector to confront environment challenges and jointly protect the homeland.
Four specialized agencies — the Climate Change Agency, the Resource Recycling Agency, the Chemical Substance Management Agency, and the Environmental Management Agency — and a National Environmental Research Institute have been established under the Ministry of Environment.
The new minister also said he would visit Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) to discuss Taiwan Power Co’s plan to build a liquefied natural gas receiving station on Keelung’s northern coast, which is opposed by environmental groups and local political figures, including Hsieh, who believe the project poses a threat to biodiversity.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about