From: "Barbara Butler" <bbutler at uclink4.berkeley.edu>
Subject: URGENT! Request for your support
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 08:18:52 -0700
URGENT! REQUEST FOR YOUR SUPPORT (Please reply by August 23, 1999)
Dear Friends,
For two years SAVE International has been working with local groups in
Taiwan to stop the approval of the Bin-nan Industrial Complex proposed for
the Tsengwen Estuary wetlands in Taiwan. The wetlands are the wintering
home to over half of the world's population of the critically endangered
black-faced spoonbill and regularly support over 100,000 waterfowl. SAVE
International has instead proposed an alternative sustainable economic
development plan that would protect the environment and local way of life
through pursuing an economic development strategy of ecotourism and
value-added products.
In 1998, thanks to you, we were able to temporarily stop the approval of
the original environmental impact assessment (EIA) for this proposal. But
the Taiwanese government is now saying it will make its decision on a
proposal for a downsized industrial complex by the end of the summer.
Please sign onto this letter addressed to the head of the Premier of
Taiwan, the Environmental Protection Administration and members of the EIA
Committee that calls for a sustainable alternative and denial of the
proposed Bin-nan Industrial Complex. ON AUGUST 26, 1999 A CANDLE WILL BE
LIT FOR EACH PERSON/ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS THIS EFFORT AT A VIGIL IN
TAIPEI! Please join our vigil by replying to
<spoonbill at uclink4.berkeley.edu> and forward to others.
Background information is provided in this e-mail following the letter.
Thank you for you support.
-- Barbara Butler, SAVE International (SAVE)
____________________________________________________________________________
________
Dear Premier Siew, Dr. Tsai and EIA Committee Members,
We are writing to express our deep concern about the proposed Bin-nan
Industrial Complex. We understand that a decision will be made on a
downsized version of the original plan which would involve filling 20% of
the Chiku Lagoon instead of 30% stated in the original proposal along with
anticipated reductions in C02 emissions and water consumption.
Even with these reductions, there are still serious concerns about the
resulting impacts of this proposal. These concerns include:
1) Black-faced Spoonbill. The proposed complex is still located within the
important foraging zone of the critically endangered black-faced spoonbill.
According to the latest January 1999 global black-faced spoonbill census,
587 black-faced spoonbills were recorded worldwide, among which 363 (62% of
world population) were recorded wintering in the Tsengwen River Estuary. A
study by SAVE International has estimated that the Bin-nan complex in its
reduced size and future associated growth will remove more than 4,500
hectares of habitat critical to the survival of the spoonbill. This loss
of foraging area will lead to extinction of the species.
2) Water demand. Even at the reduced scale and based on MOEA's optimistic
projection, the water demand of the Bin-nan Industrial Complex will result
in a regional demand exceeding the estimated available supply by year 2011.
This will result in a major crisis of regional water shortage and threaten
domestic water supply and viability of other industries in the region
including the rapidly growing high-tech industries.
3) CO2 emissions. According to the SAVE International study, even if the
reduction in CO2 emission is proportional to the reduction in production
scale, the CO2 emission from the Bin-nan Industrial Complex will account
for 32% (16.1 million tons a year) of the estimated total increase in
Taiwan from year 2000 to 2010. This will make the goal of stabilizing
Taiwan's CO2 emission at year 2000 level by 2020, based on the conclusion
of the National Energy Conference in May 1998, extremely costly and
virtually impossible.
Therefore, in light of the proposed downsizing and the continued impacts,
we strongly recommend the following actions be taken by the Environmental
Protection Agency and the EIA review committee:
1. Reject the Bin-nan Industrial Complex EIA;
2. Designate the Tsengwen Estuary Wetlands as Wetlands of International
Importance under the criteria of the Ramsar Convention;
3. Encourage the development of eco-tourism and sustainable aquaculture in
the Tainan Coastal area.
We hope to see the Tainan coastal area become a successful example of
environmental conservation and responsible economic development. If the
sustainable alternative is pursued, we will happily publicize Taiwan's
forward thinking and action worldwide.
Signed,
(Name) ______________________________
(Title/position) ________________________
(Organization)_________________________
(Email/address)________________________
Please fill in your name, etc. and send to spoonbill at uclink4.berkeley.edu
BACKGROUND
SAVE INTERNATIONAL
Spoonbill Action Voluntary Echo International (SAVE), is an international
organization whose goal is to protect Chiku Lagoon from being developed and
in so doing prevent the extinction of the critically-endangered black-faced
spoonbill. Formed in August, 1997, SAVE's membership includes scientists,
university professors, engineers, members of the high tech community,
students, and concerned citizens from around the world.
THE ISSUE
Only 587 black-faced spoonbills (Platalea minor) remain in the world. Most
of them winter in the area in and around Chiku Lagoon, located in
southwestern Tainan County, Taiwan. These wintering grounds offer broad
and interconnected natural wetlands, generations-old aquaculture ponds, and
mangrove forests. It is ideal habitat for the spoonbill and thousands of
other species. In fact, over 150 species of birds alone have been sighted
in the area, making this one of the richest ecological areas remaining in
Taiwan.
The Chiku wetlands are the most critical habitat in the world for the
spoonbill's survival. Were it not for this habitat the black-faced
spoonbill would probably already be extinct. And this is the problem. In
the north end of the lagoon Petrochemical Complex Number 7, also known
as the Bin-nan project, is proposed for a 2000 -hectare site. Because the
lagoon can be cheaply developed, the Tuntex and Yiehloong Consortium intend
to fill a significant portion of the lagoon for its petrochemical plant.
The last hurdle faced by the Tuntex and [Yiehloong] Consortium, the Bin-nan
project's developers, is government approval of its environmental impact
assessment, which is expected next month. Approval would be in violation of
the biodiversity protection principle of Agenda 21, the Rio Earth Summit's
blueprint for sustainable development, to which Taiwan has committed.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS
Housing and new roads required to service the industrial complex would
divide the remaining wetlands into unproductive remnants that would no
longer function as an estuarine ecosystem. SAVE is concerned about the
loss of habitat to urban land uses and habitat fragmentation. We estimate
that the Bin-nan complex in its reduced size and future associated growth
will remove more than 4,500 hectares of habitat critical to the survival of
the spoonbill.
After mapping important spoonbill habitat areas Dr. Malcolm Coulter,
co-chair of IUCN Specialist Group on Storks, Ibises, and Spoonbills
concluded that an area 35 kilometers in radius is needed to support the
spoonbill. The proposed Bin-nan complex is located within this radius.
Hydrologist Dr. Mathias Kondolf has discerned that the water demand of
Bin-nan is equal to the amount of domestic use for 1.33 million people,
thus requiring building of costly dams and water diversion projects.
Kondolf concludes the water diversions would reduce groundwater recharge
vital to southern Taiwan cities and agriculture. Aboriginal people would
lose sacred land and the waters of the proposed Machia Dam would flood two
of their traditional villages.
The Bin-nan project would also make it difficult for Taiwan to meet
internationally agreed-upon CO2 emission levels. According to our study,
even if the reduction in CO2 emission is proportional to the reduction in
production scale, the CO2 emission from the Bin-nan Industrial Complex will
account for 32% (16.1 million tons a year) of the estimated total increase
in Taiwan from year 2000 to 2010. This will make the goal of stabilizing
Taiwan's CO2 emission at year 2000 level by 2020, based on the conclusion
of the National Energy Conference in May 1998, extremely costly and
virtually impossible.
WETLANDS OF INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Tsengwen River Estuary/Chiku Lagoon site fits many of the criteria for
designation as "Wetlands of International Importance" under the Ramsar
Convention. This past spring, several non-governmental organizations,
including SAVE International, traveled to Costa Rica to present the
importance of designating the Tseng-wen River Estuary site, Wetlands of
International Importance. However, since Taiwan is not a member of United
Nations or one of its specialized agencies, it is not allowed to become a
contracting party of the Ramsar Convention under the current rule. The
resulting lack of international recognition poses a threat to the
protection of this site and the continuing survival of the bird. Over 100
non-governmental organizations participating in the Ramsar COP7 signed on
to a petition to have Taiwan formally protect the wetlands.
There are serious anticipated impacts on the local economy and way of life
as well. The local fishery currently employs 16,000 people and generates
annual revenues of $3.2 billion NT ($122 million US). These jobs are the
lifeblood of small towns and villages in Chiku, Chiang-Chun, and Pei-men
townships
The Bin-nan plant would also endanger the country's bid for high tech
development. Advanced technology industries are reluctant to locate in the
area, citing concerns about the lack of water in the region and the stigma
of a "cancer alley" reputation were the proposed petrochemical development
to occur.
AN ALTERNATIVE FUTURE
SAVE has proposed an alternative economic development plan that features
green industry and ecotourism. Working with Dr. Deborah Savage of the
Tellus Institute the team has prepared a plan that would sustain an
equally-robust economy, jobs to keep youth from migrating to the cities,
and environmental protection. The plan anticipates 30,000 jobs and over $15
billion NT in gross revenues per year, equaling or surpassing the
petrochemical complex projections.
For more information please contact:
SAVE International
A Project of the Earth Island Institute
Spoonbill at uclink4.berkeley.edu
510-594-9466
Or visit our website at http://www.earthisland.org/save
Barbara Butler
SAVE International
Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning
University of California at Berkeley
------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get off ACN-L send a note to majordomo at acn.ca with unsubscribe acn-l
ACN-L archives are at http://www.peter.unmack.net/archive/acn
The Aquatic Conservation Network is dedicated to the exchange of
information regarding aquatic conservation issues. http://www.acn.ca
ACN-L is hosted by Gordon Dewis (gordon at pinetree.org) at www.pinetree.org