Wild at Heart (environmental group)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fragile environment means when humans have destroyed a environment and now you would have to be very care full with it. For example the Wild At Heart.
The role played by Wild at Heart varies according to the nature of each individual case. In one of their major cases, they are representing members of the Taroko Tribe in a lawsuit to reclaim lands occupied by the Asia Cement Corporation. In other cases, they argue on the behalf of the "clients" they wish to protect but for whom there is no human representative. Much of their time is spent providing legal assistance and advice to other environmental groups or concerned individuals, often regarding Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) issues, for example, where parts of the EIA are incomplete or have been carried out in any other way that does not accord with Taiwanese EIA law, other applicable laws, or the precautionary principle.
Wild at Heart also carries out research on issues such as the revision of EIA laws, population policy, laws affecting the rights of Taiwan's indigenous peoples, and noise pollution, as well as participating in discussion on the promotion of environmental awareness through, for example, environmental education. Translation of foreign language books, papers and documentaries has also featured in several of our projects. In January 2005, Wild at Heart funded and arranged the translation of research materials related to GIS and intellectual property, as part of a cultural exchange trip to Taiwan by Canadian scholars and members of indigenous communities. In March 2005, they arranged for the translation of the British documentary McLibel (concerning issues related to globalization, company law, the environment and animal welfare) and have recently provided this to interested university film groups, NGOs and teachers, as well as Taiwan's Public Television Service channel.
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[edit] Present Cases
In addition to the cases mentioned above, they are also w orking with other groups to stop the proposed building of a superhighway along Taiwan's east coast, to oppose the continuation of construction of the GE/Japanese-contracted 4th Nuclear Power Plant, and to reduce waste and the negative impact of existing waste treatment facilities.
An ongoing project is our handling of legal issues pertaining to the proposed Hushan Dam project, which was planned ostensibly to provide water resources to the inhabitants of Yunlin Province, but which has proved to be directly related to the expansion of highly polluting industrial activities on the nearby Yunlin Offshore Industrial Park. The industrial park has undergone severe criticism from environmental groups due to the failure of responsible parties to carry out a proper EIA prior to commencing with construction. Wild at Heart has worked together with several local and national groups to bring the attention of both government officials and the public to these issues, and have succeeded in ensuring more thorough investigation and open discussion.
[edit] Some of Wild at Heart's Achievements
- Wulai-Sansia: Wild at Heart has worked together with three other groups to oppose the construction of a road linking the towns of Wulai and Sansia, which threatened to damage the area's fragile ecology and pollute Taipei residents' drinking water. In August 2005, the Taipei City Government fined the construction company NT$60 000 and banned application for development in the area for a period of two years, after it was found that construction had commenced before the completion of the EIA or the submission of a water and soil conservation plan.
- Sibao Hydroelectric Power Plant: This project, proposed by the Taiwan Power Company, was cancelled in May 2005 after Wild at Heart and other groups brought attention to the falsity of claims that the plant would constitute a source of renewable energy, as well as to the environmental damage and effects on local farmland that would result from the construction, and the fact that the plant was unnecessary for the needs of the region. It was also shown that certain important geological features had been neglected in the EIA.
- Taiwan Cement Corporation: Due to the combined efforts of Wild at Heart and other environmental groups, the Taiwan Cement Corporation was indicted in September 2005 on the charge of illegally dumping waste oil into old Japanese bomb shelters at its Hualien factory. According to news reports, the corporation was charged with a fine of NT$2 million (approx. US$64,516) by the Hualien District Public Prosecutor's Office, and two of those found responsible were charged with two years imprisonment on suspicion of violating the Waste Disposal Act and breach of trust—the boss of Taiwan Cement's waste handler Onyx Ta-Ho Environmental Services Co. Ltd., and the section chief of public works. It has also been reported that Mr. Koo Cheng-yun of the powerful Koo family, who is the chairman of both TCC and Onyx Ta-Ho, was also indicted.
