On 14 October, the MOENV, in collaboration with the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO), 14 EU member states offices in Taiwan, the New Taipei City Government, and various other agencies, organized a beach cleanup at Xinjinshan Beach in New Taipei City. The event was led by Minister without Portfolio Chang Tzi-chin of the Executive Yuan and Head of the EETO Filip Grzegorzewski and participated by a total of 150 people, including the staff from the EETO, EU member states offices in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, the New Taipei City Government, and the MOENV. Together, they collected approximately 345 kg of general waste and 87 kg of recyclable materials.

Aimed at raising awareness of climate change and promoting healthy oceans, the event emphasized that environmental issues like these have no borders. This marked the fifth time the MOENV had collaborated with the EETO for beach cleanups, with regular events held every year since 2018. The initiative encourages their staff to invite their family and friends to join them in taking concrete actions to preserve the coastal environment.

The MOENV’s Climate Change Administration stated that the Executive Yuan had approved the Respect the Ocean—Coastal Cleanliness Maintenance Program. This program focuses on reducing waste at its source and established regular, immediate, and emergency cleaning mechanisms to ensure that every part of the coast remains clean and is looked after. Beach cleanups are an essential part of environmental education, allowing participants to experience the importance of waste reduction at its source and the protection of marine environments through practical actions.

Head of the EETO Filip Grzegorzewski pointed out that environmental protection is a global issue that no single country or region can address it alone. Cooperation is essential and the EU needs partners and friends. He expressed gratitude for Taiwan's efforts in this regard and congratulated the MOENV on its establishment. He also noted that Taiwan is increasingly prioritizing climate and environmental actions.

Following the cleanup, the collected waste was arranged to form the shape of "zero," symbolizing net-zero emissions and calling on the public to pay more attention to climate change issues. The MOENV also implemented environment-friendly measures at the event, such as avoiding the setup of a large stage, providing reusable eco-friendly water cups instead of bottled water, and reusing event paraphernalia and beach cleaning tools. All of this helped reduce waste and carbon footprint. Participants were encouraged to engage in beach cleanup activities as well as practice source reduction in their daily lives. Simple changes in habits can contribute to the preservation of coastal environments and ecosystems, giving the Earth a cleaner ocean.

Excerpt from Major Environmental Policies, October 2023