Premier Jiang Yi-huah stressed the importance of land conservation while speaking at the 2013 National Sustainable Development Award Ceremony held today at the Executive Yuan. This year's recipients include elementary schools, private enterprises, civic groups and government agencies. The premier said these organizations have been essential in promoting sustainability and expressed hopes that all sectors would continue working together to protect Taiwan's environment.
The premier said the Executive Yuan established the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) in 1997 to promote Taiwan's sustainability development. Over the years, the council has formulated several important documents to guide the nation in these efforts—documents such as the Sustainable Development Policy Guidelines, Declaration on Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development Action Plan, and Sustainable Development Indicator System. The NCSD has also helped local governments map out their own sustainable development plans that involve cooperation with the central government.
"The three core values we must uphold in promoting national sustainable development are environmental protection, economic development as well as fairness and justice. The government initially set up the NCSD to address the severe damage suffered by the environment, but our efforts cannot stop there. We must create an environment where people can work peacefully and pursue prosperous lifestyles while taking good care of the land. And, society must act collectively to eliminate the social injustices that have resulted from uneven distribution of resources in the past."
Premier Jiang emphasized that action is the key to achieving sustainability because it gives hope in difficult situations and turns the impossible into the possible. Action also brings citizens together for a common goal and causes people to put the public's interests above their own. Over the past two decades, many people have contributed much to the field of sustainable development, acting to protect the land and balance economic development with environmental conservation. The premier hopes to see more inspirational stories in the future.
At today's ceremony, the National Sustainable Development Awards were presented to 11 organizations in four categories. Winners in the education category were Jiqing Elementary School in Ruifang District, New Taipei City; Yong-An Elementary School in Houbi District, Tainan City; and Hushan Elementary School in Rende District, Tainan City. In the corporation category were Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (Fab 3 facility), the Aleees Eco Ark Co. and the DA.AI Technology Co., Ltd.
In the civic group category were the Wild Bird Society of Taipei and the Pingtung County Renhe Community Association. Government agencies that received the award were the Forestry Bureau under the Council of Agriculture (for encouraging the indigenous Ali Tribe in Pingtung County to help monitor protected areas after disasters), the Construction and Planning Agency under the Ministry of the Interior (for their Fourth-stage Sewage Construction Plan), and the Health Promotion Administration under the Ministry of Health and Welfare (for its senior-friendly healthy environment and services program).