Taipei, April 14 (CNA) A public campaign endorsed by Taiwan government officials will be launched with the screening of a television program to raise awareness of ocean preservation, organizers said Wednesday.
The "Happy Ocean Campaign" aims to draw public attention to the deteriorating ocean environment and pollution in Taiwan ahead of the 40th anniversary of World Earth Day on April 22, the National Geographic Channel announced.
Premier Wu Den-yih underlined the importance of ocean preservation in Taiwan, which he called an "ocean country, " at a press conference to promote National Geographic's program on the beauty of oceans surrounding Taiwan, scheduled to air on cable television in Taiwan from April 19-30.
As an ocean country with the sixth-largest offshore fishing industry in the world, Wu said, Taiwan and its people need to understand more about the ocean and cherish its valuable resources. A Maritime Affairs Council will be included in the government structure reform and will start operation Jan. 1, 2013, he said.
Environmental Protection Administration Minister Stephen Shu-hung Shen described the ocean as "the heart of the Earth" while calling on the public to protect the environment.
According to the campaign, the extinction of all life forms in the ocean by 2048 is possible if the issues of environmental pollution and overfishing, among others, are not addressed and resolved in time.
The campaign encourages young people in Taiwan to document the ocean with photographs or videos and send their works to the television company, which will display all those works in three local museums starting from June 8, World Oceans Day.
Lin Chiling, one of Taiwan's most popular models, was invited to endorse the campaign as its ambassador. (By Chris Wang) enditem/bc