2012 U.S.-Taiwan Sustainability Symposium to be Held December 10 at Kaohsiung International Convention Center

PR-1264E | Date: 12/05/2012

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is pleased to join with Kaohsiung City’s Environmental Protection Bureau and with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to present the “2012 U.S.-Taiwan Sustainability Symposium: Creating Sustainable Cities and Promoting Sustainable Ports in the Asia Pacific Region” on December 10, 2012. The two-day symposium will provide expert exchanges and collaboration to promote cost effective practices on sustainability of cities, marine ports and vessels, and the movement of goods in the US, Taiwan, and Asia Pacific region.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu, AIT Director Christopher Marut, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 Administrator Dennis McLarren, and Taiwan EPA Minister Shen Shu-hong, will deliver remarks at the opening ceremony for the event, which will take place at the Kaohsiung International Convention at 9:30 a.m. on December 10. The opening ceremony will also feature keynote speeches by Johns Hopkins University Energy, Resources and Environment Program Director Dr. J. Jhirad, Mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan George Heartwell, and Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Liu Shih-fang.

The symposium will consist of two parts. The first, Creating Sustainable Cities, will build on the American Institute in Taiwan’s Clean Energy Forums of 2010-2011 and addresses broader sustainability topics. The second, Promoting Sustainable Ports in the Asia Pacific Region, will advance collaboration between the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration, and build upon USEPA’s collaboration with ports and authorities in the Asia Pacific Region, and the Pacific Ports Clean Air Collaborative. It is designed to build a US, Taiwan, and Asia Pacific network of experts, and expand collaboration to inform and advance marine port, vessels, and shipping sustainability strategies and promote consistent and complementary practices that benefit the US, Taiwan, and the Asia Pacific region.

Environmental authorities and representatives from cities, international marine ports, industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations will present fundamental and common elements of sustainability and share current and developing approaches and programs to achieve economic, environmental, community and human health sustainability. Throughout the forum, experts will address topics such as air emissions, air quality, health impacts, cleaner energy, energy and operational efficiency, technology, urban planning, climate adaptation, community and ecosystem benefits.

All media representatives are invited to cover the U.S.-Taiwan Sustainability Symposium opening ceremony scheduled for:

• Date: Monday, December 10, 2012
• Time: 9:30 – 11:45 a.m.
• Venue: Kaohsiung International Convention Center

For media information, please contact: AIT Kaohsiung Branch Office Public Diplomacy Section, Tel: 07-238-7744 ext. 625 (Ms. Lin).

For more information about the symposium, please visit: http://2012ustwss.utrust.com.tw