Environmental Management Administration

As the flood and typhoon seasons have arrived this year, the Environmental Management Administration (EMA) convened the “Northern Environmental Management Operations Coordination Report” on June 25 to comprehensively strengthen disaster prevention and emergency response capabilities across the nine counties and cities in north Taiwan, with a focus on disaster relief deployment, environmental restoration, and disaster waste management. The meeting emphasized the “Disaster Waste Management Guidelines,” the “Disaster Waste Temporary Storage Site Disaster Prevention and Safety Guidelines,” disaster relief deployment, environmental cleanup, and problem-solving and preparedness during disaster response operations. The Ministry of Environment (MOENV) said that, in the face of climate change, future natural disasters are expected to become more frequent and severe, significantly increasing cleanup pressures. In addition, as types of waste become increasingly diverse, waste treatment facilities are no longer merely repositories for waste but are instead “critical national environmental infrastructure” that sustain normal societal operations. The MOENV is fully committed to incorporating environmental governance into the disaster prevention framework and making thorough preparations for the flood and typhoon season.

The event first saw in-depth discussions on the “Disaster Waste Management Guidelines” and the “Disaster Waste Temporary Storage Site Disaster Prevention and Safety Guidelines.” Temporary storage sites are considered necessary for the rapid reopening of roads and the removal of sand, soil, and waste from urban areas following disasters, with careful consideration given to site selection and comprehensive protection and monitoring measures. Perspectives from frontline local personnel, county and city governments, and central government agencies were then presented to share emergency response experiences and problem-solving approaches from the Mataian disaster. Participants drew lessons from the Hualien barrier lake overflow disaster response and analyzed disinfection practices for compound disasters. In the spirit of solidarity across cities and counties and sharing practical experience in disaster relief coordination, the disaster relief team of the Kaohsiung City Government shared its experience in disaster relief deployment during the Hualien County Mataian River barrier lake disaster. Experiences in addressing challenges encountered during emergency response operations were also exchanged to strengthen problem-solving capabilities.

In addressing the challenges posed by natural disasters, the event sought to enhance coordinated disaster response and defensive capabilities across the nine north Taiwan counties and cities, transforming disaster prevention awareness into concrete action and jointly safeguarding regional environmental quality and the lives and property of the public.