Changhua Environmental Protection Union Chairwoman Shih Yue-ing (center) speaks during Friday's news conference held in the Legislative Yuan in Taipei Friday. Photo courtesy of Changhua Environmental Protection Union Feb. 2, 2024
Taipei, Feb. 2 (CNA) Several environmental groups urged the government on Friday to promptly designate the wetlands along the Changhua County coast as "internationally significant," to ensure better wildlife preservation.
The appeal was made on World Wetlands Day, which is observed every Feb. 2 and aims to raise public awareness of the importance of wetlands. The environmental groups argued that it is vital to give them this status before conservation plans or construction projects are implemented.
In a press conference held at the Legislative Yuan, representatives from the Changhua Environmental Protection Union (CEPU), Wild Bird Society of Changhua, and Taiwan Environmental Information Association said such a designation is long overdue.
When the designation is given, any development projects on the wetlands are subject to more systematic and stringent assessments.
CEPU Chairwoman Shih Yue-ing (施月英) said ministry-level discussions about the central Taiwan wetlands, which are Taiwan's sole mudflat intertidal zone, began in 2009.
The initiative came to a halt following the Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co.'s proposal to construct a naphtha cracker in the region, she said, adding that although the project was ultimately canceled, the discussions were never resumed.
However, with related Ministry of Interior discussions set to resume later this month, Shih said she hopes the wetlands receive the status they deserve.
While the ministry claimed previously that the wetlands receiving the designation would face significant opposition, local townships, such as Fangyuan and Fuxing, have voiced support, according to Shih.
Furthermore, some Changhua residents have expressed concerns regarding the implementation of green energy projects in the area, particularly those related to solar energy, because they could disrupt the environment, she noted.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰), who also attended the press conference, urged the government to officially designate the wetlands to help cement their importance.
Feb. 2 marks the 1971 adoption of the Wetlands Convention in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Since 1997, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and citizens have used the occasion to promote wetland protection.
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