Chang Kow-lung

Chang graduated from Yale University in 1968 with a Ph.D. in physics. He then taught at National Taiwan University 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, where he worked for ten years. In 2000, Chang was named vice minister of examinations.[1][2]

A noted anti-nuclear activist,[3] Chang has served as spokesman for the Nuke-4 Referendum Initiative Association.[4]

Premier Frank Hsieh appointed Chang Kow-lung head of the Environmental Protection Administration on 8 June 2005.[5] That August, Chang announced a three-year plan to clean up the polluted Tamsui River.[6] 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.[7] He also worked to pass laws regarding greenhouse gas emissions,[8][9][10] later starting a global warming awareness initiative.[11] Chang supported implementation of an ecotax for Taiwanese factories in 2006.[12] However, the next year, environmentalist Robin Winkler claimed that the EPA favored industry over the environment.[13] Chang then tried to sue Winkler for slandering the EPA.[14] Chang resigned his position in May 2007,[15] and was replaced by Winston Dang in June.[16]