Guardians of Our Land

As industrialization and urbanization spread across the world, climate change issues, such as the greenhouse effect and global warming, have become increasingly severe and pose a serious threat to life, property, and economic growth. For instance, severe flooding caused by catastrophic heavy rainfall that lasts for several days has become more common, and PM 2.5 air pollution is now a killer in health. Through the lens of front-line scientists and disaster responders, this film recounts how these guardians of Taiwan unite to protect the island unwaveringly, overcoming all the obstacles with the power of technology.

“We can’t really stop disasters, so what should we do when it comes?” Although Taiwan is a Formosa (beautiful island), it is vulnerable to many kinds of disasters; and whenever a natural disaster hits, it leaves a mark on the people’s minds. This film documents the stories of these “unsung guardians”, their original intentions of helping with disaster prevention and relief through science, and how they use smart technology to monitor Taiwan’s air, water, earthquake, and natural disasters to minimize the impacts of each disaster. By leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT), Taiwan has constructed a 3D air pollution map that improves air quality management and forecasting, as well as being able to announce flood forecasts with a 3-hour lead time while preparing pump stations and pumps in between to reduce disaster risks and minimize disaster losses. Also, scientists have been using technology to deal with the unpredictability of natural disasters, such as by deploying the world’s most extensive Seismic Observation Network to closely monitor the seismic situation in all regions. When a disaster is anticipated, the people will have more time to prepare for it, thereby reducing the impacts of the disaster.