Taipei:Twelve candidates in Taiwan's upcoming local government elections have committed to promoting sustainable and resilient policies if elected, as announced by civic groups on Monday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the names of these candidates were revealed during a press conference organized by civic groups, including the Taipei-based Green Citizens' Action Alliance (GCAA) and the Taiwan Climate Action Network (TCAN). The pledges cover 18 policy areas such as renewable energy, disaster preparedness and resilience, heat adaptation, flood management, and sustainable transportation.
Among the candidates who signed the full pledge are Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an and Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen. Tainan mayoral candidate Hsieh Lung-chieh signed it partially, while candidates Lee Shu-chuan and Johnny Chiang, running in New Taipei and Taichung respectively, declined to sign.
The pledge addresses governance issues including urban disaster preparedness, energy resilience, transportation, and protections for disadvantaged groups. GCAA senior researcher Chen Shih-ting emphasized the importance of equipping community facilities like schools and emergency shelters with solar power and microgrids to ensure operation during disasters.
Lee You-jen from TCAN highlighted the need for local governments to incorporate heat adaptation into disaster preparedness and public health policies. He stressed the importance of identifying high-risk areas, prioritizing shaded spaces in under-resourced communities, and improving insulation in older homes.
Tsou Ming-hsuan, secretary-general of the Taiwan Rivers Network, pointed out that torrential rainfall has become more frequent, sometimes exceeding drainage capacities. He advocated for better land use to manage flooding, nature-based river management solutions, and allocating more resources to help communities prepare for and mitigate flood damage.
