| 英文摘要 |
The Ministry of the Environment has carried out dust prevention and improvement measures for nine regulated rivers since 2011 with the Water Resources Agency under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and local governments. As of 2023, only Zhuoshui and Gaoping Rivers still experience dust incidents. The dust problems in the other seven regulated rivers have been resolved.
To resolve dust emission for Zhuoshui River, under the instructions of the Executive Yuan, the Ministry of the Environment designed and promoted a dust prevention and improvement plan for Zhuoshui River in 2018, on a three-year term basis. The plan was structured around three main areas: water management, afforestation, and disaster response, with measures implemented to mitigate Zhuoshui River’s dust emissions. Based on the results of the first two terms (2018-2023), as of 2023, an annual average PM10 concentration of 50 μg/m³ has been reached ahead of schedule. The number of river dust incidents has also reduced from 59 in 2017 to 5 in 2023. Additionally, learning from Zhuoshui River’s dust control and prevention work, the Ministry of the Environment initiated an action plan for preventing, controlling, and improving dust emissions of Gaoping River in 2021. With the completion of the phase-1 action plan, the number of dust incidents have reduced by 75%, achieving the initial objective of 50% reduction. Based on this plan, the Ministry of the Environment completed the planning and promotion of the phase-3 initiatives for Zhuoshui River and phase-2 for Gaoping River in January 2024. These initiatives are set for implementation from 2024 to 2026 and aim to continually improve riverside air quality.
This project evaluates the use of remote sensing technology to optimize the management of air quality purification zones. By analyzing changes in various types of land use through aerial imagery taken over different years, the project aims to assess the effectiveness of maintenance and management in these zones and to identify cases where tree-planting areas have been converted for non-approved uses. This approach seeks to reduce the need for routine manual inspections, enhance in-zone management, and curb regulatory violations. The evaluation results indicate that using remote sensing technology to manage air quality purification zones is feasible, with a land change detection accuracy of 90.9%. The minimum identifiable area ranges from 50 to 100 square meters, depending on their categories such as forest land, grassland, and residential areas, while meeting operational monitoring requirements. Utilizing remote sensing technology to manage air quality purification zones allows for prioritized evaluation of regular data exchange with the Aerial Survey and Remote Sensing Branch, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture or collaboration with the agriculture and forestry sectors in periodic aerial photography, thus saving data procurement costs and software fees. The operational process should apply the current change detection and IPCC land cover classification mechanisms with a five-year cycle based on forest resource verification surveys, while planning corresponding management measures for different land change areas.
To promote vegetation greening for air quality improvement, this project has developed a draft action plan for vegetation greening in urban areas and a priority list of potential air quality purification zones in the six largest cities in Taiwan. By reviewing the implementation strategies of various agencies and aligning with the evaluation criteria for air quality purification zones, approximately 10.5 hectares of air quality purification zones were established in 2023. It is estimated that some Environmental Protection Bureaus already have a foundation for coordinating with related units within their governments to promote vegetation greening policies. To encourage the management of air quality purification zones by volunteering companies for better maintenance, we evaluated the integration of renewable energy and carbon sequestration in these zones as additional economic benefits to increase volunteering incentives and participation. It is recommended to emphasize concepts such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) to promote a mutually beneficial approach for pollution reduction, energy conservation, and carbon reduction through vegetation greening. This strategy aims to enhance companies’ willingness to voluntarily look after air quality purification zones by highlighting the added social benefits.
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