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Geomorphology and Society pp 103–124Cite as

The Political Ecology of Land Subsidence: A Case Study of the Solar Energy-Farming Scheme, Pingtung County, Taiwan

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Part of the book series: Advances in Geographical and Environmental Sciences ((AGES))

Abstract

Land subsidence in southwestern Taiwan has long been in focus as a result of its environmental and political implications. Much research has been conducted with a view to better understanding its causes and effects, but a political ecology perspective has thus far been lacking. Various policy and technological solutions are being pursued for preventing land subsidence but often the policy tools to prevent land subsidence are unable to be implemented as the interests of stakeholders vary. The solar energy-farming scheme, initiated by the Pingtung County government in 2009 following the devastation caused by Typhoon Morakot, is an illuminating case study in this regard. The scheme was established to convert low-lying land used for aquaculture into solar energy plants. The plan was not only expected to provide economic opportunities for the locals but also to prevent land subsidence. This study adopts a structural approach to analyze both natural and human elements in order to explore the problems of land subsidence. Utilizing findings from qualitative interviews, policies and documents, this paper offers a structural consideration of the political ecology of converting aquaculture to solar energy-farming in Pingtung County. The land subsidence of Pingtung may be considered a result of a convoluted system of political ecology and political economy. The solar energy plan case study casts light on how society in coastal areas of Taiwan can reverse land subsidence. Through the analysis of national policies and local actions in facing land subsidence, this chapter examines the political ecology of how the solar energy-farming scheme was established, and what this solution implies for socio-cultural, economic and environmental development.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Morakot is a Thai word meaning ‘green jewel’ and, in the context of this study, the event could be considered as the stimulus for Pingtung County to promulgate its solar energy-farming scheme to utilize abundant solar energy to change the fate of its low lying land.

  2. 2.

    Taiwan was colonized by the Japanese between 1895 and 1945. When World War II ended, Taiwan was taken over by the Republic of China under the supervision of the Allies of the World War II command (UN). Before that, the Japanese established a tightly controlled irrigation system for agriculture with a holistic bureaucratic management. The Society of Water Utilization for Agricultural Fields established local branches to police water use and agricultural order. This policing and practising of water rights was then assumed by the Taiwan Department of Irrigation and Engineering.

  3. 3.

    Electricity is required to enable groundwater to be pumped from these individual wells. Thus the well owners have to apply for a utility permit and the installation needs to be done by the utility company on site. However, the utility company has no cause to investigate what the electricity is used for and whether or not the applicant has the right to extract groundwater. So-called “illegal pumping” has thus becomes prevalent, while well owners claim they are acting within the law because they pay the electricity bills.

  4. 4.

    Findings have indicated that primary and middle schools along the high-speed rail track may be held partially responsible for land subsidence. This points to the Ministry of Education’s policy that encourages schools to obtain water via wells, rather than tap water, in order to become ‘green campuses’. Unfortunately most schools dug deep wells that inadvertantly contributed to the problem of land subsidence.

  5. 5.

    According to the Taiwan national policy hazards relief, alternatives for better use of impacted land are: (1) urban forestry, (2) artificial reservoirs (i.e., impoundments or lakes), (3) refilling with soil and debris, (4) land leased out to those willing to develop other environmentally sound options, and (5) solar energy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Shew-Jiuan Su

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  1. Shew-Jiuan Su
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Correspondence to Shew-Jiuan Su .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Michael E. Meadows

  2. National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Jiun-Chuan Lin

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Su, SJ. (2016). The Political Ecology of Land Subsidence: A Case Study of the Solar Energy-Farming Scheme, Pingtung County, Taiwan. In: Meadows, M., Lin, JC. (eds) Geomorphology and Society. Advances in Geographical and Environmental Sciences. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56000-5_7

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