Premier Su Tseng-chang: Implementing Sustainable Development to Demonstrate Taiwan's Determination and Efforts to the World
The “32nd Council Meeting of the NCSD, Executive Yuan”, presided over by Premier Su Tseng-chang today (19 November 2020), not only confirmed the 18 goals and specific indicators for sustainable development in Taiwan, but also served as an important basis for promoting various tasks. He also instructed the relevant ministries and councils to implement the national sustainable development goals and plans in accordance with the resolutions of today's meeting and members' suggestions, and to conduct a review on a rolling basis to meet the general public’s expectations and the needs of the country, aiming to demonstrate Taiwan's determination and efforts to the world.
At the beginning of the meeting, Premier Su shook hands with each of the NCSD members and thanked the members for taking time to attend from all over the places to make today's meeting possible. Premier Su said that all members are experts or leaders who have long been committed to devoting its efforts in each area. All of them are very knowledgeable and experienced in the sustainable development of our country and are well versed in the operations of the government, as well as the voices of industry, local communities, and related units.
Premier Su pointed out that the government has been doing its best to prevent the pandemic for a long period of time. While more than 56 million people had been diagnosed and 1.3 million have died worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and some countries in Europe were facing the second wave of the pandemic, Taiwan had recorded 220 consecutive days with no local cases. Many activities were carried out normally and people even gathered for meetings. It is a blessing in a troubled world. The Premier especially thanked the people of our country for jointly fighting against the pandemic and cooperating in the prevention of the pandemic, so that Taiwan could be recognized as the first in pandemic prevention in the world and became a blessed place in the chaotic world. The Premier emphasized that we all grow up in this land and it is most important for the country to be sustainable. Relevant issues are broad and extensive. He would like to express gratitude to all members for their comments and guidance.
Premier Su also instructed colleagues in the relevant ministries and councils to do their best in respecting the resolutions made at the meeting, the suggestions made by the members, and the usual liaison, so that the goals and plans related to the country's sustainable development can be implemented to meet the expectations of the general public and the needs of the country. At the same time, it is also necessary to carry out automatic and self-testing to not only demonstrate to the world Taiwan’s miracle in terms politics, economy and pandemic prevention, but also hope that the world can see Taiwan's determination and efforts for sustainable development.
For the “Report on the Annual and Phase Review of Taiwan's Sustainable Development Goals”, Premier Su said that after setting the Sustainable Development Goals in 2019, the first tracking and management review was conducted in 2020. The review report was published on the website of the NCSD in June. Of the 336 corresponding indicators, nearly 80% have met the target. For those indicators that are left behind, it is requested each ministry and council to continue to refine their works and have them listed in the working meetings of the NCSD to strengthen promotion.
Premier Su emphasized that the Sustainable Development Goals are important to the sustainability of the country and the daily lives of its people. The relevant units should conduct a review on a rolling basis with reference to members' comments. The sustainability goals cover areas including the environment, water, atmosphere, elderly and equal justice. The 336 indicators should be categorized so that the working group can work more efficiently with members from different fields of expertise. The Premier said that he emphasizes efficiency, and that the government has been adjusting rapidly in response to issues. He requested the relevant ministries and councils to categorize the topics to be in line with members from different fields of expertise to receive guidance and conduct a review on a rolling basis. This is the first time that we conduct the tracking of management and review, and we should strive to improve. We all share the same goals and attitudes, and our methods of operation can be further strengthened and refined. The NCSD and relevant ministries and councils please exert more efforts to achieve our goals.
After listening to the "Report on the National Environmental Protection Plan and the Voluntary Review and Promotion Plan of Sustainable Development Goals," Premier Su pointed out that the “National Environmental Protection Plan” was approved by the Executive Yuan in February this year, echoing the United Nations' sustainable development agenda and domestic and international trends in environmental protection and development, focusing on 5 major aspects and 13 key issues, planning different implementation strategies and goals, and setting basic guiding principles to improve environmental protection.
Premier Su further said that through this plan, the government is able to integrate public and private efforts to facilitate central and local governments to design specific strategies for issues closely related to the public and industries, such as atmospheric environment, climate change, marine conservation, land management and green economy, etc. Such strategies should be formulated according to local conditions, with encouragement to provide support and incentives to make people willing to participate, and penalties for violators to set an example for others, so as to achieve the vision of harmonious coexistence between people and the environment.
Premier Su emphasized that the report is also an important document to demonstrate the world Taiwan's contribution to global sustainable development. Since 2022, the Executive Yuan will present the "Voluntary National Review" every four years, requesting all authorities to cooperate in promoting and reviewing the results, so that the world can examine Taiwan's responsibility as a good global citizen. With the guidance and participation of the members of the NCSD, we hope that our efforts and achievements, as well as the various areas to be promoted, will enable Taiwan to continue to achieve positive improvement.
Premier Su said that Taiwan has been doing its best for the sustainable development of the environmental protection plan, hoping that our generation is a plus, not only to complement the efforts of our predecessors, but also to give an account to future generations. He requested respective ministry and council to categorize and list the work related to this plan. For a long period of time, the government has not convened major meetings, but rather ad hoc meetings, which have also achieved concrete results. As the government strives to achieve more, Premier Su would like to ask members of the NCSD to provide more advice on any deficiencies to enable the government to make further improvement.