US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2058

UNCLAS TAIPEI 002058 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/RSP/TC AND OES/IHA 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W, USEPA AND USTR 
 
USEPA FOR OIA/THOMPSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, KSEP, KPAO, AORC, PREL, TW 
SUBJECT: AIT 2005 EARTH DAY BEACH CLEAN-UP 
 
REF:  SECSTATE 73277 
 
1. (U) Summary.  Econ/ESTH, PAS and CLO along with the 
Taipei American School's (TAS) Key Club worked together to 
organize AIT's participation in a Taiwan government 
sponsored beach-clean up event in commemoration of Earth Day 
2005.  Thirty two people from the AIT community (including 
Americans, Foreign National Employees and family members) 
and 26 TAS students participated in the Jinshan beach clean- 
up on April 30, 2005.  AIT DDIR delivered a speech at 
the event that was very well received by the government 
hosts and by the press (text of speech contained in para 2). 
The beach clean-up was jointly sponsored by Taiwan's 
Environmental Protection Agency, Taiwan's Coast Guard and 
the Taipei County Government to celebrate both Earth Day and 
Taiwan's "Year of the Sea," during which Taiwan hopes to 
raise public awareness of marine pollution and to increase 
protection of marine resources.  In all, an estimated 3,000 
people participated in the Jinshan beach clean-up. 
According to Taiwan's EPA, a total of 98 beach-clean ups 
were held throughout Taiwan on April 30 with a total of 
40,000 volunteers participating. 
 
2. DDIR Earth Day Speech presented at Jinshan Beach Clean- 
up, April  30, 2005: 
 
Begin text 
 
Taiwan EPA Minister Tsay Ting-kuei, Taipei County Vice 
Governor Chang Tzi-chin, Coast Guard Administration Minister 
Syu Huei-you and Jinshan Township Chief Yu Chung-yi, Taipei 
American School Key Club members and all other participants 
in today's event, Good Morning.  On behalf of the American 
Institute in Taiwan, I am very pleased to join this beach 
cleanup and support your efforts to raise awareness of the 
problems of marine debris and help improve the local 
environment in which we all live. 
 
This beach cleanup is both a highly appropriate 
commemoration of Earth Day and of Taiwan's increased 
attention to the environment since our two sides began 
cooperating on environmental programs in 1993.  Much has 
changed in Taiwan over the past 12 years and the 
environmental improvements we have seen are prominent and 
welcome.  Since I first studied in Taiwan in the 1970s, I 
can personally attest to the significant improvements in 
Taiwan's air quality. 
 
I would also like to use this occasion to emphasize the 
importance that the United States places on the responsible 
use and stewardship of ocean and coastal resources.  In 
December 2004, President Bush released the "U.S. Ocean 
Action Plan" that acknowledges the vital contributions that 
oceans make to our well-being.  The U.S. Ocean Action Plan 
seeks to make U.S. coasts and lakes cleaner, healthier and 
more productive.  In addition, the United States is 
pioneering techniques to crack down on illegal fishing 
worldwide.  And we are leading efforts to prevent marine 
mammals, sharks, sea turtles, and seabirds from being 
unintentionally caught in fishing nets or accidentally 
hooked in longline fishing operations. 
 
Finally, supporting your efforts today also presents an 
excellent opportunity for AIT to express the importance we 
place on continuing our cooperation to improve the 
environment both globally and locally. 
 
Thank you for allowing us to be here and to help contribute 
to enhancing Taiwan's natural beauty. 
 
End Text 
 
PAAL