Mask the Presidential Hall: Taiwanese walk for reduce Greenhouse Gas Emission and Air Pollution !

Saturday afternnon in Taipei, a custom-made huge nose and mouth-covering mask was displayed across the Presidential Hall. It was a parade against Air pollution and Greenhouse gas emission. An 8mx4m gigantic lung designed and crafted by a European artist Artur van Balen was also paraded to illustrate the harm done to human health by mining/burning coal and air pollution.

Faced with extreme climate change, 195 participating countries of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed by consensus to the Paris Agreement this month. On Dec. 26th, thousands of citizens walked on Taipei city street, conveying Taiwan people's heartfelt wishes to support the Paris Agreement's reduction of greenhouse gas emission, anti air-pollution and pursuit of a clean home.

Prof. Yuan T. Lee (李遠哲), a Nobel Prize Laureate, appeared at the press conference before march, he addressed the importance of Taiwan's active role in reducing the global greenhouse gas emission. Prof. Chang-Chuan Chan(詹長權), Vice Chairman of National Taiwan University's Institute of Public Health, also elaborated on the impact of air pollution on the whole population of Taiwan. The 6000 lives lost to air pollution annually are primarily concentrated in the Central and the Southern Taiwan. Even in the Capital City of Taipei, air quality not only hasn't improved but has worsened more in the past 16 years. This is a serious issue, as a crucial economic entity of Asia, Taiwan cannot absent itself.

In view of Taiwan's upcoming presidential election, 3 vice presidents candidates came to join this activity expressing their supports. The largest opposition party, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) vice presidential candidate, Chen Chien-Jen(陳建仁) committed on the stage , that DPP will establish a Preventive Action Commission addressing air pollution and the greenhouse effect, once the new government set up.

The Taiwanese proclaimed to the world their determination to reduce greenhouse gas emission and combat air pollution through actions. They will also urge the new government to realize the Paris Agreement's goal of reducing carbon output and eliminating haze accirding to 1226 Petition as below:

1226 Petition for Anti-Air Pollution & Greenhouse Effect Reduction

1. Establish a Preventive Action Commission addressing air pollution and the greenhouse effect, which have become a national security issue.

2. Eliminate nuclear power and coal in our home country. Phase out coal-burning power plants to eliminate haze and reduce carbon dioxide emission, so that PM2.5 will reach the national standard yearly average value of 15 μg/m3 by 2020. The 24-hour average PM2.5 value should be targeted at 35 μg/m3.

3. Require reduction of the total emission amount from stationary polluting sources by at least 40% in 4 years, in 3rd-tier air quality non-attainment regions. Equip each town with at least one air quality monitoring station.

4. Impose a health tax on stationary polluting sources and stipulate regulation standards for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in order to attain internalization of social capital.

5. Increase energy efficiency, realize low-carbon renewable energy, and pursue the energy policy’s goal of “zero-growth in power demand.”