Yunlin County tops nation with 37 sustainability awards; Magistrate Chang honored for leadership in sustainable governance

(中央社訊息服務20251020 16:19:56)The 2025 Taiwan Sustainability Action Awards and the Asia-Pacific Sustainability Awards were recently announced. The Yunlin County Government, continuing its winning streak from the previous two years, once again delivered an outstanding performance this year. The county government and its subordinate departments won a total of 37 awards, making it the largest number of winners nationwide. County Magistrate Chang Li-shan (張麗善) won the “Outstanding Chief Sustainability Officer Award - Regional Category Excellence,” and Deputy County Magistrate Hsieh Shu-ya (謝淑亞) received the “Top Sustainability Officer Award,” demonstrating the county government’s impressive achievement and effective leadership in sustainable governance. Yunlin County also received the “Most Livable City Excellence Award”, showing its exceptional results in promoting social inclusion, multiculturalism, low-carbon sustainability, and climate action.

The 2025 APSAA & TSAA (Asia-Pacific and Taiwan Sustainability Action Awards) and the 4th Asia-Pacific Sustainability Expo held their awards ceremony and opening ceremony at the Taipei World Trade Center from Sept. 11 to 13. County Magistrate Chang led the heads of various county government departments to attend the awards ceremony on Sept. 11 and witnessed the glorious moment together with them.

County Magistrate Chang stated that the Yunlin County government, after winning 27 awards last year, has surpassed this record this year, garnering 37 accolades. This demonstrates the county government’s strong commitment to sustainable governance and its leadership among counties and cities nationwide. Across various areas, the county government team received six gold awards, 13 silver awards, 14 bronze awards, and one distinguished award, including one gold and one bronze award at the Taiwan Biodiversity Awards. These achievements showcase outstanding accomplishments in diverse areas, including climate action, environmental education, social inclusion, and industrial innovation.

The winning proposals cover social security, industrial upgrading, smart agriculture, digital public services, cultural preservation, and environmental sustainability, embodying the policy of “leaving no one behind.” From youth to seniors, from communities to county governments, they aim to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and build inclusive, resilient, and forward-thinking communities.

The award-winning cases spanned multiple departments, including the Planning Department’s “Yunlin Industry Net Zero Transformation Service” and “Fashionable Circular Oyster Technology in Yunlin”; the Social Affairs Department’s “Tech × Assistive Care: New Governance for an Aging Society in Yunlin”; the Water Resources Department’s “Environmental Sustainability Action for Rivers in Yunlin”; the Culture and Tourism Department’s “Shibi Bamboo Forest: A Community-based Forest Therapy Model for Sustainability”; the Agriculture Department’s “Yunlin Youth Farmers Continue to Write a New Chapter in Agriculture”; the Urban and Rural Affairs Department’s “ShiBi Bamboo Recreational Forest Plan”; the Labor and Youth Affairs Department’s “Smart, Elderly-Friendly Workplace”; the Education Department’s “Smart Education, Illuminating the Future of Remote Areas”; the Lands Administration Department’s “Zero-Distance Land Administration Services”; the Environmental Protection Bureau’s “Diversified Sustainability, Deepening Environmental Education”; the Health Bureau’s “Liver Protection in Yunlin, Healthy Together”; the Fire Department’s “Resilient Firefighting, Sustainable Yunlin”; and the Police Department’s “ Anti-Fraud Yunlin Team: Toward Sustainable Zero Fraud.” These actions not only respond to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals but also transform Yunlin’s local culture, environment, and social characteristics into internationally worthy models of sustainability, embodying the sustainable spirit of “the more local, the more global.”

County Magistrate Chang expressed her deep joy and profound gratitude for the numerous awards received by her team. Receiving the “Outstanding Chief Sustainability Officer Award” is a testament to the county’s vision of “Happy Yunlin, Sustainable Development,” a success achieved through the collaborative efforts of departments and the support of county residents. Deputy County Magistrate Hsieh Shu-ya was given the “Top Sustainability Officer Award,” and the county government was recognized with its first-ever “Most Livable City Excellence Award.” Yunlin is promoting disaster-resilient communities, shared transportation, full waste recycling, age-friendly parks, and senior-friendly spaces, while demonstrating transparent governance through the VLR (Voluntary Local Review) system, gradually building a safe, healthy, and inclusive sustainable home.

County Magistrate Chang noted that Yunlin County’s impressive 37 awards showcase achievements in cultural preservation, smart agriculture, low-carbon transformation, and public service innovation. This honor highlights the county government team’s dedication and reflects the growing acknowledgment of its sustainability efforts. The county government emphasizes that sustainable development is not just a slogan but a long-term goal. The government will continue to promote cross-generational, cross-sector, and cross-departmental collaboration, deepen governance resilience, and gradually realize the blueprint of a “Smart and Sustainable Agriculture, Industry, and Technology City,” creating a better and happier home for the next generation.

From Sept. 11 to 13, the Yunlin County Government exhibited at booth 110 in the “Sustainable Living Area” section of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Sustainability Expo. In collaboration with the Water Resources Department, the government showcased the achievements of the Climate Change Response Office and the Yunlin River Management Program. Participants at the county booth would receive limited-edition gifts.