Environmental

Debate About Two-Stroke Scooters, Plastic Straws Point To Challenges Facing Environmental Legislation

Brian Hioe
Demonstrations by two-stroke scooters owners as well as recent controversy regarding plastic straws illustrate some of the difficulties facing efforts to introduce environmental legislation in Taiwan. As with elsewhere in the world, efforts at environmental legislation will meet resistance when they infringe upon long-held social habits...
EnglishEnvironmentalJune 2018Social Movements6 min read

Questions After Residential Eviction Near Songshan Airport

Brian Hioe
The demolition last week of the home of Guo Tai-Song, the head of the Songshan Airport Forced Eviction Self-Help Organization, has raised questions for some. However, despite the demolition occurring in the middle of winter, as compared to other cases of forced residential eviction cases in urban areas, the case has received less attention from Taiwanese activists...
EnglishEnvironmentalJanuary 2018Social Movements5 min read

Thousands Demonstrate In Taichung Against Air Pollution

Brian Hioe
Several thousand demonstrated in Taichung against growing problems of air pollution in Taiwan today. According to varying estimates, between 5,000 to 9,000 were in attendance, but despite the size of the protest, the demonstration was less reported on by media due to taking place outside of Taipei. This is ironic, given that the focus of the demonstration was in many ways on problems of pollution as facing urban areas outside of Taipei, and on redistributing political power in a more even manner across Taiwan...
December 2017EnglishEnvironmentalSocial Movements8 min read