ENGOs adopted a dual strategy of mass movement and peaceful advocacy of
environmental protection ideas. During Huang Mingqin’s tenure as the head of
the Tainan Bird Association after 1999, major strategies beyond grassroots
mobilization included: releasing press reports, organizing public hearings,
communicating with the mass media, and drafting opinion reports about EIA.^9
The transformation of ENGO strategies can be noted in the recent direction
of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU), one of Taiwan’s
largest environmental groups. From TEPU’s perspective, the major role of
ENGOs is to promote public policy making and set the agenda of public
issues. At the early stage of Taiwan’s democratization, the DPP required allies
to enlarge its social base. Environmental NGOs needed robust political
partners to apply heavier pressure on the ruling KMT, from the central to the
local level. This new possibility of mutual benefits within civil society has led
to an intimate alliance between the TEPU and the DPP.
Since the current focus of TEPU is on promoting public policies, its major
task is to analyze environmental situations and plan appropriate strategies
before taking action. The TEPU adjusts its role according to changes in social
and political environments. Lately, it has selected ‘soft lines’ to do so and also
attract attention from the mass media. The TEPU employs both elite and
grassroots action.^10
Since the passage of the EIA law in 1994, Taiwan’s ENGOs have been
involved in formal and informal institutions of environmental policy making.
However, ENGOs remain skeptical about the sincerity of bureaucrats in
promoting environmental protection. For instance, the Tainan Chapter of
TEPU plans to promote more comprehensive participation in institutional and
extra-institutional activities simultaneously. Mass mobilization is not the only
instrument to use in performing organizational goals.
The TEPU opposes the usage of ‘sustainable development’ because of the
concept’s ambiguity. It argues that bureaucrats, who dominate the EIA
process, still make development the first priority, and use the term sustainable
development as a smoke screen. Recently, the Tainan TEPU Chapter has
concentrated on grassroots training and socialization, and is emphasizing
household ecological matters such as recycling. The Tainan Chapter identified
new mechanisms for resource recycling, and has applied to the national Labor
Affairs Council for support of its model. It has also asked local politicians to
pledge support for environmental protection policies during electoral
campaigns.
Jiaohua Chen, president of TEPU and director of the TEPU Tainan Chapter,
indicated:
‘In Taiwan, it is easier to attract religious and cultural volunteers. People are
skeptical toward environmental volunteers. Fund raising is also difficult. ENGOs
have to develop multiple strategies of struggling. Effective negotiations with164 Governance of biodiversity conservation in China and Taiwan