TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) announced on Monday (Feb. 17) a collaborative effort with the Water Resources Agency (WRA, 水利署) to transform the Tamsui River (淡水河) into a swimmable waterway, akin to the Seine River in Paris.
As part of this effort, the National Environmental Research Academy (NERA, 國家環境研究院) and the WRA have signed a memorandum of understanding to embark on research into climate change mitigation, pollution prevention, and governance technologies.
Peng noted the WRA's pioneering role as the first public sector entity to implement carbon footprint measures, including tree planting along rivers and reservoirs to earn carbon credits.
WRA Director-General Lai Chien-hsin (賴建信) outlined measures to transform the river, including reviewing data from monitoring stations near the Tamsui River to mitigate potential pollution sources. Additionally, he announced plans to introduce new initiatives to address the impact of extreme weather on water volume.
NERA President Liu Tsung-yung (劉宗勇) echoed Lai's views and emphasized the challenges climate change poses to water resource management, including heavy rainfall and drought. He stressed the need for proactive adaptation measures, such as addressing rising sea levels and groundwater fluctuations.
