Environmental Justice: Analyze Environmental Change in Taoyuan Guanyin and Xinwu from Rawls' Theory of Justice and Taylor's Environmental Philosophy Author: Kuan-Sheng Wang（Center for General Education, National Taipei University, Associate Professor）
Shiang-Fan Chen（Center for General Education, National Taipei University, Associate Professor）
Yi-Wen Tsai（Center for General Education, National Taipei University, Assistant Professor）

Vol.&No.：Vol. 69, No. 2
Date：September 2024
Pages：1-26
DOI：https://doi.org/10.6210/JNTNU.202409_69(2).0001

Abstract：
Human beings often sacrifice the environment in order to develop the economy. It is a representative case in Guanyin Disctrict and Xinwu District of Taoyuan City. In recent years, the construction of The third LNG Receiving Terminal of CPC has been questioned that it will cause irreversible damage to the ecology and landscape of the algae coast. This has aroused the attention of academics and environmental conservation groups. In fact, the environmental damage in the Guanyin and Xinwu areas in recent decades is not limited to algal reef problems. This area used to be a very important fishing ground and granary in Northern Taiwan. However, with the establishment of industrial zones, the construction of power plants, incinerators, ash disposal sites, and landfills, it causes great damage to nearby coasts, rivers, ponds and farmland. Also, the air quality declined dramatically. This not only caused a significant reduction in the amount of fishery and crops, but also affected the original half-fishing and half-agricultural lifestyle of local residents, and also caused a massive loss of population. In the face of the conflict between economic development and environmental conservation, what responsibilities should human beings bear towards nature and future generations? This is the subject of concern for this paper. We attempt to discuss the issue from the perspective of philosophy. According to philosopher John Rawls’ difference principle, a just society should prioritize the care of disadvantaged groups. Placing high-pollution facilities near the living environments of these disadvantaged groups is contrary to social justice. In addition, according to Rawls’ principle of just savings, the environmental changes and the depletion of natural resources caused by industrial development affect the development opportunities of future generations, which violates “intergenerational justice.” According to Paul W. Taylor's theory of respect for nature, industrial development causes damage to the natural environment, endangers the algal reef ecosystem, and destroys the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature, which violates “species impartiality.” These theories show that the harm caused by industrial development to Guanyin and Xinwu violated the principles of environmental justice and sustainable development.

Keywords：intergenerational justice, sustainable development, species impartiality, environmental justice, environmental change

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