Chang Kow-lung (; born 1938) is a Taiwanese physicist who served as the Minister of the

Environmental Protection Administration The Ministry of Environment (MOENV; ), formerly the Environmental Protection Administration, is a cabinet-level ministry responsible for protecting and conserving the environment in Taiwan. The ministry's scope includes air quality, noise contro ...

between 2005 and 2007.

Education and activism

Chang entered

National Taiwan University National Taiwan University (NTU; zh, t=國立臺灣大學, poj=Kok-li̍p Tâi-oân Tāi-ha̍k, p=, s=) is a National university, national Public university, public research university in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded in 1928 during Taiwan under J ...

in 1959 and graduated ''

summa cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...

'' with a bachelor's degree in physics in 1963. He then completed graduate studies in the United States at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, where he won the university's Leigh Page Prize for distinction in physics in 1965. Chang earned his Ph.D. in

particle physics Particle physics or high-energy physics is the study of Elementary particle, fundamental particles and fundamental interaction, forces that constitute matter and radiation. The field also studies combinations of elementary particles up to the s ...

from Yale in 1968. After receiving his doctorate, Chang taught at

starting in 1976 and participated in Taiwan's environmental movement beginning in the 1980s. In 1988, Chang founded a magazine, ''New Environment''. Shortly afterwards, in 1990, he launched the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union. That year, he became a secretary in the

Taipei City Government The Taipei City Government is the municipal government of Taipei. History Taipei was known as Taihoku during Japan's rule of Taiwan, which started in 1895. Initially, the city was directly controlled by the Governor-General of Taiwan. In ...

, where he worked for ten years. In 2000, Chang was named vice minister of examinations. A noted

anti-nuclear The Anti-nuclear war movement is a social movement that opposes various nuclear technologies. Some direct action groups, environmental movements, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, n ...

activist, Chang has served as spokesman for the Nuke-4 Referendum Initiative Association.

Environmental Protection Administration

Premier

Frank Hsieh Frank Hsieh Chang-ting (; born May 18, 1946) is a Taiwanese politician and former defense attorney who served as Ambassador of Taiwan to Japan from 2016 to 2024. A cofounder of the Democratic Progressive Party, he has served on the Taipei City ...

appointed Chang Kow-lung head of the Environmental Protection Administration on 8 June 2005. That August, Chang announced a three-year plan to clean up the polluted

Tamsui River The Tamsui River (alternatively Danshui River, ) is the third longest river in Taiwan after Zhuoshui River and Gaoping River, with a total length of , flowing through Hsinchu County, Taoyuan, Taipei and New Taipei City. It is located in the ...

. The next month, Chang ordered sanitation companies to stop gathering kitchen waste to use as a component in pig feed, after discussions with the

Council of Agriculture The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA; ) of Taiwan, formerly the Council of Agriculture, is the ministry under the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in charged with overseeing affairs related to agriculture, forestry, fishery, animal hu ...

. He also worked to pass laws regarding greenhouse gas emissions, later starting a global warming awareness initiative. Chang supported implementation of an

ecotax An environmental tax, ecotax (short for ecological taxation), or green tax is a tax levied on activities which are considered to be harmful to the environment and is intended to promote environmentally friendly alternatives via economic incentive ...

for Taiwanese factories in 2006. However, the next year, environmentalist Robin Winkler claimed that the EPA favored industry over the environment. Chang then tried to sue Winkler for slandering the EPA. Chang resigned his position in May 2007, and was replaced by Winston Dang in June.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chang, Kow-lung 1938 births Living people Politicians of the Republic of China on Taiwan from Taipei Taiwanese environmentalists Taiwanese anti–nuclear power activists Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni Ministers of environment of Taiwan