'Premier' announces plan to build two model communities in each city and county by 2011

"Premier" Wu Den-yih announced the launch of a low-carbon homeland program Thursday as part of activities to mark the 40th anniversary of World Earth Day.

The program, under which two low-carbon model communities in each city and county around Taiwan will be built by 2011, "epitomizes our determination to march toward a low-carbon society," Wu said at the launching ceremony held by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA).

Highlights of the program also include developing six low-carbon cities by 2014 and completing four low-carbon living areas in northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan by 2020, Wu said.

"The Earth we live on requires protection from each of us... I hope each government agency, school and private corporation will fulfill its obligation as a member of the global village by contributing to global environmental protection," Wu added.

Since World Earth Day was launched on April 22, 1970 to raise public awareness of the importance of environmental protection, Wu noted, the pursuit of a healthy and sustainable living environment has never ceased.

Countries and regions around the world are now working on measures to reduce carbon emissions, in accordance with the resolutions reached at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in order to mitigate the impact of global warming on Earth's creatures.

In the face of this global trend, Wu said, the local population should step up its environmental protection efforts.

In response to the Earthday Network's "A Billion Acts of Green" campaign, the EPA has launched a series of green programs aimed at urging local people to conserve water resources, reduce carbon emissions and practice recycling, wildlife conservation, environmental cleanup and sustainable development of the land.

"We hope business groups and individual citizens will join forces with the government in carrying out these programs," Wu urged.

He also pointed out that the government's energy conservation campaign has generated encouraging results, saving 7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity last year and, over the past few months, a volume of water equivalent to Taipei City's total consumption for 29 days.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 04/23/2010 page2)