President Ma Ying-jeou traveled on the afternoon of April 17 to National Formosa University in Yunlin County to attend an environmental protection and community activity organized by the Taiwan Soka Association to show concern for the earth and Taiwan. The president also attended the Hope Exhibit, after which he wrote a note with his best wishes that read, "From this day forward, let us stress the 'four conservations'—the conservation of gasoline, electricity, water, and paper." The president called on the public to take concrete steps to improve the environment and make the world a better place.
President Ma remarked that the Taiwan Soka Association has long organized activities in support of communities, the environment, and the ideals of humanism. He said that he participated in events held by the association twice when he served as Taipei City mayor, and greatly admires how the association creates social cohesion, disseminates accurate information, and contributes to public service.
The president commented that the average world temperature in the 20th century rose by 0.74 degree Celsius, but that the average temperature in the lower elevations of Taiwan rose 1.2 degrees Celsius, 62% higher than the world average. Meanwhile, Typhoon Herb in 1996 dumped 1,987 millimeters of rain on Taiwan, Typhoon Nari in 2001 brought precipitation totaling 2,319 millimeters, and with Typhoon Morakot in 2009 Taiwan saw rainfall of 2,965 millimeters. Even the Alishan Tourist Information Center, which is located at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, was submerged in two meters of water in the wake of Typhoon Morakot, which was unprecedented. The president pointed out that extreme weather is no longer a risk, but a fact.
The president further stated that the government is aggressively promoting energy conservation and carbon reduction to counter rapid climate change, and called on individuals to do their part by supporting the "four conservations" campaign and help both the earth and Taiwan by conserving gasoline, electricity, water, and paper. President Ma commented that rainfall this year has been less than forecast and that many areas are facing drought, so he recommended that the public start with the conservation of water. While these efforts may only save a bit of money, they will have an enormous positive impact on Taiwan, he said.
The president then went to Douliou City of Yunlin County, where he inspected the site of the Hushan Reservoir Project, the only reservoir presently being constructed in Taiwan. The president expressed his concern for Yunlin's water supply as well as the problem of land subsidence in the area, which has plagued Taiwan for several decades, seriously impacting ecosystems and possibly also beginning to present a safety hazard to the high speed railway. The government is paying close attention to this problem, he said.
President Ma also praised the reservoir's contractors, construction teams, and workers, who received an award at the 10th Public Construction Golden Quality Award in 2010. He also noted the efforts made to conserve or transplant trees, and protect natural habitats, thereby reducing the impact of the construction on the environment.
Meanwhile, the president said that he is pleased that various stumbling blocks in the course of the construction project have been resolved, adding that the problem of land subsidence should see improvement by 2021, which is good news for the high speed railway. President Ma expressed his hopes that as much work as possible on various facets of the project will be carried out at one time in order to minimize the impact on the public and to complete the Hushan Reservoir on schedule.