Collaboration with Environmental Protection Administration Taiwan (EPAT)
Taiwan is an environmental leader in the Asia Pacific region. EPA established an agreement with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in 1993 and works with the Environmental Protection Administration Taiwan (EPAT) to implement the agreement.
EPA's close partnership with EPAT has now evolved into a robust platform for sharing experience and expertise with each other as well as assisting environmental agencies and partners in the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa regions. Through this partnership, U.S. and Taiwan environmental authorities have worked to manage the environment and reduce pollution through projects, research, and knowledge exchange.
In 2014, EPA and EPAT officially launched the International Environmental Partnership (IEP), a network of experts from around the world working together to strengthen capacity for addressing environmental challenges. In 2020, the IEP expanded to collaborate with Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), and Ocean Affairs Council (OAC). To date, IEP results include:
- expanding mercury monitoring in the Asia Pacific region to harmonize atmospheric mercury monitoring;
- establishing a regional air quality protection program to strengthen air quality management in countries across Asia;
- helping countries explore new ways of managing electronic waste;
- establishing Eco-Campus school partnerships between schools in the U.S. and Taiwan; and
- supporting the Global Environmental Education Partnership, which involves more than ten environmental ministries committed to improving environmental literacy in their home countries.
Explore our work with EPAT:
- Recent Events
- Environmental Priorities
- Key Partners
- Agreements
- Learn More About Taiwan
- International Environmental Partnership
Recent Events
- November 2021: During COP 26, U.S. EPA and EPA Taiwan joined GEEP to launch the new GEEP Africa Hub, which will serve as a regional hub for GEEP in the region to promote environmental education and share best practices. Opening remarks were provided by Jane Nishida- Assistant Administrator of Office of International and Tribal Affairs and Jong-chin Shen- Deputy Minister of EPA Taiwan.
- November 2021: U.S. EPA, EPA Taiwan, NAAEE, and Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) hosted a virtual 3-day GEEP Asia-Pacific Forum. The forum focused on utilizing environmental education to address large scale environmental and social issues, and the role of networks to strengthen and promote collaboration across borders and sectors. Opening remarks were provided by Jane Nishida- Assistant Administrator of Office of International and Tribal Affairs, Rosemary Enobakhare- Associate Administrator of Office of Public Engagement and Environmental Education, Tzi-chin Chang- Minister of EPA Taiwan, and Ching-piao Tsai- Deputy Minister of Ocean Affairs Council.
- November 2021: The Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC), a program co-organized by U.S. EPA, EPA Taiwan, and OAC, selected 4 winners and 12 finalists from more than 140 applicants across 43 different countries. The YIC engaged youth to creatively brainstorm solutions that utilize environmental education to address marine litter and climate change. View information on the program and the finalists.
- October 2021: U.S. EPA, EPA Taiwan, and Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) co-hosted the virtual annual International E-Waste Management Network Meeting (IEMN) to bring government, private sector, and NGOs together to share strategies on the environmentally sound management and recycling of e-waste. Members shared the impact COVID has had on the management of e-waste and relevant updates.
- October 2021: U.S. EPA, EPA Taiwan, and MOHW co-organized a virtual session at the 2021 Global Health and Welfare Forum in Taiwan. The session focused on children’s health effects of climate change. Opening remarks were provided by Jane Nishida- Assistant Administrator of Office of International and Tribal Affairs, Hung-teh Tsai- Deputy Minister of EPA Taiwan, Chung-liang Shih- Vice Minister of MOHW. Experts Dr. Perry Sheffield from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Dr. Rebecca Philipsborn from Emory University School of Medicine were invited to share research on children's health equity and the child health benefits of climate solutions.
- October 2021: The 10th annual Asia Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network (APMMN) Partners Meeting was co-hosted by U.S. EPA and EPA Taiwan. The virtual meeting focused on discussing the impacts of COVID on mercury monitoring efforts in the region and next steps. Opening remarks were given by Mark Kasman- Office Director of Office of International Affairs, and Hung-teh Tsai- Deputy Minister of EPA Taiwan. Presenters from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Atmospheric Deposition Program provided methods to interpret mercury monitoring data and updates from the U.S. Mercury Networks.
- June 2021: U.S. EPA, EPA Taiwan, Taiwan Executive Yuan, American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan, and several business leaders were invited to join the virtual SelectUSA Investment Summit to discuss global environmental challenges and the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing those challenges. Keynote remarks were provided by Michael Regan- Administrator of U.S. EPA, John Deng- Taiwan Trade Minister, Tzi-chin Chang- Minister of EPA Taiwan.
Environmental Priorities
In 2018, EPA and EPA Taiwan launched the South & Southeast Asia-Air Improvements in the Region (SSEA-AIR) program to make measurable reductions to air pollution in Asia Pacific countries. Together EPA and EPA Taiwan have introduced eight Asian countries to this program. In 2019, at the SSEA-AIR Workshop in Taiwan, the partners learned how EPA and EPA Taiwan conduct air quality action planning to achieve results.
Reducing Exposure to Mercury
To address this, EPA partnered with EPAT, the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, and Taiwan’s National Central University to launch the Asia Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network (APMMN) in 2012. APMMN shares information, data, tools, and technologies to expand coordinated mercury monitoring capacity in the Asia-Pacific region; provides training and support to scientists in the region; and develops baseline mercury data useful to regional and global modelers. APMMN seeks to systematically monitor wet deposition and atmospheric concentrations of mercury in a consistent, standardized network of stations throughout the region.
Learn more:
Promoting Environmental Education
EPA collaborates with EPAT to integrate environmental education into all sectors of our societies including businesses, schools, communities, and families. EPA and EPAT coordinate programs such as Eco-Campus Partnership Programs, Kids Making Sense, and the Global Environmental Education Partnership to promote quality environmental education and empower youth around the world to drive positive change in their communities.
Programs include:
- Global Environmental Education Partnership
- U.S. - Taiwan Eco-Campus Partnership Program (National Wildlife Federation)
- Kids Making Sense
Cleaning Up E-waste
EPA and EPAT have collaborated since 2011 to build global capacity for the environmentally sound management of waste electrical and electronic equipment. To support this goal, EPA and EPAT coordinate the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN). The IEMN enables environmental officials from within and beyond the Asia-Pacific region to exchange information and best practices on e-waste management.
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Building Strong Institutions and Legal Structures
Strong environmental laws that protect our natural resources and safeguard our health must be complemented by effective enforcement. To establish an enforcement regime that effectively detects, corrects, and deters violations requires thoughtful strategies, well trained inspectors, supporting legal tools, and a fair and just sanction system.
EPA and EPA Taiwan are currently cooperating bilaterally on issues of environmental enforcement. The two organizations are also working together to share new methods and approaches with each other and other partners. For example, EPA shared information with EPAT on waste water continuous emission monitoring systems management and enforcement, river water quality abnormal polluter findings, evidence preservation, CAA, CWA, RCRA cases, litigation, toxicology in enforcement, and water sensor and GMAP technologies, among many other topics. Recently, EPA and EPAT held a joint training to share information on standard practices, crime scene investigation, and new enforcement technologies with investigators from two Southeast Asian countries.
Addressing Contaminated Soil and Groundwater
With rapid economic development, soil and groundwater pollution has become an increasingly serious challenge for many developing countries in Asia. Contaminated sites impact human health, particularly the poor, children, elderly and other vulnerable communities. Cleaning up contaminated sites reduces the impact of pollutants on groundwater sources. This improves ecological systems and the food supply both in Asia and the U.S.
To achieve this, EPA and EPAT experts serve as technical trainers for agencies and institutions across the Asia-Pacific region on the clean-up of contaminated sites, addressing topics such as forced-air remediation, bioremediation and phyto-remediation.
Programs include:
Key Partners
The following links exit the site:
- Environmental Protection Administration Taiwan
- Ministry of Health and Welfare
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Economic Affairs
- Ocean Affairs Council
- American Institute in Taiwan
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative's Office
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North America Association for Environmental Education
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National Wildlife Federation
- National Atmospheric Deposition Program
Agreements
- View Agreements