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Taiwan’s Achievements in Combating Climate Change
September 2014
To fulfill its responsibilities as a member of the international community, and
take concrete actions in response to the Copenhagen Accord, the Republic of
China (Taiwan) voluntarily made a commitment to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat and the
international community in 2010 that it would aim to reduce its greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions by at least 30% relative to the business-as-usual (BAU)
benchmark by 2020. This scale of reduction is higher than that of countries with
similar levels of economic competitiveness such as the Republic of Korea (30%)
and Singapore (16%).
Based on the country’s GHG emissions reduction capability and adaptability,
and reflecting common but differentiated responsibilities, the aforementioned
target and timeframe are in line with the UNFCCC’s basic principles and clearly
demonstrate Taiwan’s determination and position with regard to promoting the
reduction of GHG emissions.
Moreover, Taiwan simultaneously launched Nationally Appropriate Mitigation
Actions (NAMAs), and in December 2009 established the Executive Yuan
Steering Committee on Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction—renamed
Green Energy Low-Carbon Steering Committee, Executive Yuan in May
2014—to promote the National Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction
Master Plan. This plan covers such areas as energy, industry, transportation,
architecture, and daily life, and focuses on 10 benchmark projects, including
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creating a comprehensive legal framework, improving low-carbon energy
systems, creating low-carbon communities and society, developing a low-carbon
industrial structure, building green transportation networks, promoting green
landscapes and green construction, enhancing technological capabilities,
fostering energy conservation and carbon reduction in public works,
strengthening education, and enhancing promotion and communication.
Constructing a legal framework for carbon reductions
Taiwan continues to promote the draft of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act,
which, in combination with the Energy Tax Bill, which is still being formulated,
and the Energy Management Act and Renewable Energy Act, which have
already been promulgated, will form the legal basis for the management of GHG
reductions in Taiwan.
Meanwhile, in 2012, Taiwan specified six GHGs as air pollutants—including
carbon dioxide—in accordance with the Air Pollution Control Act. On
December 25 of the same year, the Regulations of Mandatory GHG Reporting
were announced, as well as Public and Private Premises under Regulations of
Mandatory GHG Reporting. In accordance with these stipulations, domestic
industries that use large amounts of energy, as well as companies with high
energy density, are required to report, examine, and verify their GHG emissions.
To enhance Taiwan’s GHG management based on a system of Measurement,
Reporting and Verification (MRV), and to monitor the main sources of GHG
emissions in Taiwan, it is estimated that 265 public and private institutions will
be included in the reporting mechanism, allowing the government to keep track
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of 90% of GHG emissions. This will serve as the basis for efforts to further
promote the reporting mechanism.
Enhancing management systems to reduce carbon emissions
In order to encourage domestic industries to voluntarily reduce emissions, the
ROC government, based on the spirit of the draft of the Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Act and international Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
regulations, announced the Directions for Promoting GHG Early Action Project
and Offset Project on September 10, 2010, so as to establish unified standards
for voluntary GHG emission reductions. Amended directions, as well as relevant
implementation guidelines, were announced on July 17, 2012.
On April 18, 2011, the government promulgated the Directive for Management
of GHG Emissions Reduction Credit Account, which includes stipulations on
opening emission reduction quota accounts, transferring quota, and annulling
quota. To ensure the accuracy of the country’s data on GHG emissions, the
government
promulgated
the
Regulation
for
GHG
Analysis
and
Validation/Verification Bodies on February 17, 2014, which specifies the
required qualifications for organizations conducting measurements and reviews
of GHG emissions, procedures for the application and annulment of permits,
qualifications of related personnel, review procedures, and related matters. All
these measures are aimed at properly managing organizations responsible for
GHG emission verification and review.
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Recent accomplishments in saving energy and reducing carbon emissions
In 2008, Taiwan’s carbon dioxide emissions due to fossil fuel combustion saw
their first decline since 1990, and annual emissions from 2008 to 2013 declined
by an average of 0.4%, showing that there have been clear improvements
compared to the period 2004-2007, when emissions experienced an average
annual growth of 2.6%. Meanwhile, emission intensity (carbon dioxide
emissions per unit of GDP) in the period 2008-2013 fell by an average of 3.1%
per year, indicating that Taiwan has gradually achieved a negative correlation
between economic growth and carbon emissions.
With regard to Taiwan’s progress compared to other countries, the International
Energy Agency (IEA) in 2013 released data on worldwide carbon dioxide
emissions due to fossil fuel combustion up to 2011, which showed that the total
amount of emissions and the emission density in Taiwan on average declined
0.9% and 4.4%, respectively, per year in the period 2008-2011. This was better
than the overall global trend, which saw growth of 1.7% and 0.2%, respectively.
Furthermore, according to a 2009 publication of the IEA, Taiwan’s
energy-related carbon dioxide emissions amounted to 276 million tons in 2007,
making it the world’s 22nd-largest emitter with 0.95% of the global total. Taiwan
also ranked as the world’s 18th-largest emitter per capita (the ninth largest in
Asia), at 12.08 tons per year, a figure that surpassed those of Japan and the
Republic of Korea.
However, the agency’s 2013 publication indicated that Taiwan had made
progress since 2007. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions amounted to 265
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million tons in 2011, making Taiwan the world’s 23rd-largest emitter with 0.84%
of the global total. Taiwan also ranked as the 21st-largest emitter per capita
worldwide in 2011 (the 12th-largest in Asia), with 11.31 tons, less than the
Republic of Korea and Singapore. This represents significant progress.
Following the achievements over the past few years, Taiwan will continue to
prioritize the building of a low-carbon, green-energy environment as part of its
national development. By combining resources of the government and private
enterprises, and through joint efforts with the people, Taiwan will aim to become
a “low-carbon, green energy island” and achieve a sustainable homeland. In
remarks at the 2014 Energy Visions Summit on August 13, 2014, President Ma
Ying-jeou pointed out that, even though Taiwan is not a signatory to the
UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, it has pledged to reduce its GHG emissions by
2020 to 2005 levels, and by 2025 to levels last seen in 2000. This is a significant
voluntary commitment, and we need assistance from all sectors of society to
promote industrial transformation, conserve energy, and reduce carbon
emissions, so as to attain our national goals.
As a result of the government’s strong commitment to promoting policies aimed
at saving energy and cutting carbon emissions, as well as the public’s efforts,
Taiwan has already achieved concrete results. In 2008, Taiwan witnessed the
first decline since 1990 in terms of its carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel
combustion, and in recent years these emissions have further stabilized. Even
though emissions grew slightly by 0.67% in 2013 compared to 2012, they were
still below the peak level of 2007.
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Taiwan’s carbon dioxide emission intensity has fallen to 0.0163 kg per NT
dollar in 2013 from 0.0197 kg per NT dollar in 2007, demonstrating that the
country has achieved a negative correlation between economic growth and GHG
emissions. Although high oil prices and the economic downturn caused by the
global financial crisis played a role in this development, the government’s
policies aimed at promoting energy conservation and emission reductions also
made important contributions.
Promoting key carbon reduction technologies
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies are internationally recognized
as important instruments in reducing carbon emissions. The IEA has indicated
that, if GHG emissions are to be halved by 2050 compared to 2005, CCS
technologies can contribute 14%-17% of the required reduction. As fossil fuels
will still take up a considerable share of energy sources in Taiwan’s foreseeable
future, the country has noted the potential of CCS technologies in reaching
national reduction targets, and hopes to accelerate their development.
More than just seeking CCS opportunities, Taiwan also focuses on the
application of caught and stored carbon in the hope of becoming a leader in this
particular field. With the help of research and development done by the
Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the country became a global
leader in calcium looping used in the cement industry when it held a
demonstration of this technology in June of 2013. Taiwan also aims to enhance
cooperation with partners in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
To enhance Taiwan’s capabilities with regard to key carbon reduction
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technologies, the government set up a strategic CCS technology alliance in
March 2011, bringing together resources of the government, industry, academia
and the research sector to analyze CCS promotion strategies and relevant legal
aspects. It will also evaluate the environmental impact of the application of CCS
technologies, and enhance communication with the public.
Currently, the government continues to review and construct related mechanisms,
so as to create a complete environmental management system and monitoring
technology, and make preparations for related environmental regulations and
permit requirements. The government has already gained a comprehensive
understanding of CCS-related regulations and implementation methods in places
such as the European Union, Australia, and the United States, and others. It has
also studied the CCS legal framework and the practical application of
environmental reviews through expert consultations and public involvement. As
for enhancing public awareness of CCS technologies, the government has
looked at efforts by international CCS organizations to promote the technology,
enhance communication platforms, and use interactive forms of information
sharing, such as electronic newsletters.
To enhance international exchanges and cooperation, Taiwan held the
International Conference on Carbon Capture and Storage on May 19, 2014,
which was attended by international CCS experts from a wide range of
organizations including the IEA, the Global Carbon Capture and Storage
Institute (GCCSI), the Japan Carbon Capture & Sequestration (JCCS) Company
Limited, Ecofys Netherlands, as well as British scholars and a former US under
secretary of energy, in addition to Taiwan experts and academics. Discussions
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focused on CCS development trends, geological surveys, monitoring
technologies, relevant regulations, public involvement, risk management, and
emergency response measures. Taiwan’s efforts to promote CCS were affirmed
by international participants at the conference, which was also attended by
government officials from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, as well as
experts from Thailand.
In accordance with the International Environmental Partnership (IEP), which
was launched on April 14, 2014, in the presence of President Ma Ying-jeou and
Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Gina
McCarthy, Taiwan will continue to strengthen environmental cooperation with
countries in the region and worldwide, and promote the stable development of
CCS in Taiwan.
In addition, the Carbon Management and Carbon Reduction Technology
Promotion Strategy Forum was held in Taiwan on March 19, 2014. Professor
Chonghun Han of Seoul National University was invited to share the Republic
of Korea’s experiences in carbon management and CCS development,
representing the beginning of bilateral exchanges in this field. The forum also
aimed to set up communication platforms to expand mutual cooperation.
Cooperation on climate change issues with other countries and regions
I. United States
Close cooperation between Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration
(EPA) and the US EPA began in 1993 when the Agreement between the Taipei
Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) and
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the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) for Technical Cooperation in the Field of
Environmental Protection was signed.
Over the past 20 years, 193 cooperation projects have been carried out, allowing
Taiwan to effectively introduce advanced US environmental policies and
technologies and thereby upgrade its own capabilities. Taiwan and the US
continue to conduct technical exchanges and cooperation on issues related to
climate change mitigation.
In the presence of President Ma Ying-jeou and Administrator of the US EPA
Gina McCarthy, EPA Minister Wei Kuo-yen officially announced the
establishment of the IEP on April 14, 2014. The US is a founding partner of this
important project, which is expected to become a platform to share Taiwan’s
environmental protection experience and technologies with the international
community, conduct exchanges with related government officials from other
countries, and continue to enhance cooperation with the US on various
initiatives.
II. European Union
Taiwan and the European Union continue to cooperate on issues other than
economy and trade. For example, Taiwan’s EPA and the European Economic
and Trade Office (EETO) jointly held the Workshop on Capacity Building of
Regional Carbon Market in Asia: Experiences from Europe on June 25 and 26,
2014. The event marked the first time that an EU official responsible for climate
change issues gave a public speech in Taiwan, and boosted cooperation and
consensus between Taiwan and the EU, as well as other regions. It also injected
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momentum toward Taiwan’s substantive participation in global carbon reduction
market mechanisms.
In addition, the ROC government and the European Chamber of Commerce
Taiwan (ECCT) jointly organized a lunch meeting, entitled European
Experiences in Public-Private Partnership: the Key to Mitigate Climate Change,
on June 26, 2014.
The meeting was attended by EPA Minister Wei Kuo-yen, Chairman of the
ECCT Guiseppe Izzo, Head of the EETO Frederic Laplanche, Deputy Director
of the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taiwan (BTCO) Damion Potter,
Executive Director of the State of Hawaii Office in Taipei Alex C. Lei, as well as
many representatives of local and European enterprises. They agreed that the
establishment of public-private partnerships, as well as the enhancement of
technical exchanges between multinational corporations, will assist the two sides
in carrying out carbon reduction work and achieving sustainable business
practices.
On February 18, 2008, the ROC government signed a memorandum of
cooperation with the EU for the Pacific Greenhouse Gas Observation Plan, so as
to execute a joint GHG measurement project. With contributions by academia
and such enterprises as Evergreen Marine Corporation and China Airlines,
atmospheric monitoring was conducted on 221 sea voyages and 308 flights as of
June 2014. This has increased Taiwan’s standards and research capabilities in
this field, and has enhanced its international visibility.
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Taiwan will aim to further improve air quality, enhance atmospheric monitoring,
achieve sustainable development, fight climate change, and adopt clean energy
sources by conducting personnel training programs, exchanging information,
holding seminars, and conducting mutual visits.
III. United Kingdom
A. Financial tools
To fundamentally solve the problem of climate change, sustainable development
should be pursued in both developed and developing countries by finding a
balance between reducing greenhouse gas emissions and stimulating economic
growth.
European countries that have enjoyed the most success in saving energy and
reducing carbon emissions—including the United Kingdom, Germany, and
countries in northern Europe—have all used green finance, economic incentives,
and other financial measures as the foundation of their response to climate
change. The UK, for example, has had excellent results with regard to climate
change levies (CCL) and climate change agreements (CCA), successfully
encouraging industries to increase energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions.
Comprehensive adoption of financial tools will play an essential role in
promoting the development of a low-carbon economy by boosting green
investment, increasing employment, saving energy, and reducing carbon
emissions.
To explore major countries’ formulation and implementation of climate change
policy instruments and approaches, as well as the development of international
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green financing schemes, Taiwan held the International Conference on
Innovations of Climate Change Policy Instruments and Green Financing on May
5, 2014. The event was attended by experts from the UK Energy Saving Trust,
the German Fraunhofer Institute, the US-based R Street Institute, the Korea
Environment Institute, and Japan’s Nagoya University. Presentations were given
on the UK’s Green Deal mechanism and the responsibilities of energy
companies, German strategies concerning green investment and financing, US
management and control of GHGs, Korean policy instruments for GHG
reduction, and Japan’s energy tax and emission trading mechanisms.
Introduction of international carbon neutrality concepts
To reduce GHG emissions, Taiwan has proactively formulated various carbon
management strategies in recent years, and promoted the development of related
technologies. In 2009, the EPA introduced international carbon neutral concepts
to encourage enterprises to join initiatives aimed at cutting emissions. As a result
of Taiwan’s significant achievements in this area, the British Standards
Institution (BSI), which develops international carbon neutral standards,
extended an invitation to our country to jointly amend the PAS 2060:2014
Specification for the demonstration of carbon neutrality.
Based on the Framework of Taiwan’s Sustainable Energy Policy, which was
adopted by the government in June 2008, policies should be developed with the
concept of carbon neutral in mind. Since 2009, the government has taken steps
to promote carbon footprint calculation, low-carbon activities, and carbon
neutral, and adopt the internationally accepted specification for the
demonstration of carbon neutral created by the BSI. In 2010, it also started to
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establish a registration and management platform for carbon neutrality, and
published information on calculating carbon footprints of products and services
and implementing carbon neutral. This has created a low-carbon trend and
encouraged government agencies and private companies to actively promote
related concepts. So far, there have been 14 verified cases in Taiwan in which
carbon neutral has been achieved.
The Chinese-language version of the specification for the demonstration of
carbon neutral was completed in 2014 in the wake of a 10-month joint project of
the ROC government and the BSI. The result was released on March 24, 2014,
in a conference attended by Director of the BTCO Christopher Wood, BSI staff,
and representatives from academic and business circles.
PAS content often serves as a foundation for ISO standards, which are widely
adopted around the world. Therefore, this Taiwan-UK joint project carries great
significance.
B. Carbon footprint labeling
With widespread international recognition of the importance of global warming
issues, many countries have turned their attention to GHG management. In
addition to actively implementing projects to measure GHG emissions through
relevant organizations, they have also promoted carbon footprint labeling
systems for products.
Taiwan has been at the forefront of global developments in this field. Having
closely analyzed the UK’s experience, Taiwan became the 11th country in the
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world to launch a labeling system. From May 2010, when the government
started to accept applications for product carbon labels, to September 2014, 238
products from 68 businesses obtained carbon labels. The carbon footprint data
provided on these labels can be used as reference by consumers.
To bring Taiwan’s carbon footprint labeling system in line with international
practices, and to effectively help local businesses provide carbon footprint data
for their products, Taiwan’s ITRI signed a memorandum of understanding
(MOU) with the UK’s Carbon Trust in September 2011, which was witnessed by
representatives of the EPA and the BTCO.
The signing of this MOU will serve as a basis to explore the feasibility of
achieving mutual recognition and verification of carbon footprint labels, develop
label certification, organize training courses for relevant personnel, and establish
a mutually beneficial cooperation mechanism. The goal of these efforts is to
achieve full market access for products with these carbon footprint labels in each
other’s countries.
IV. Pacific allies of the ROC
Climate change is a global issue of great public concern. To achieve a
nationwide movement aimed at saving energy and reducing carbon emissions,
Taiwan has called on all its citizens to pursue low-carbon lifestyles. In line with
the theme of the 2014 UN World Environment Day, “Raise Your Voice, Not the
Sea Level,” Taiwan held a ceremony on May 30, 2014, to mark the launch of a
series of activities, aiming to encourage its people to reflect on how changes in
our climate and environment have impacted the biosphere, and to fulfill their
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responsibilities as global citizens, so as to demonstrate the joint commitment of
Taiwan and its international partners. By taking concrete actions, we can ensure
that future generations will not be affected by climate change.
The aforementioned ceremony was attended by Ambassador of Kiribati Teekoa
Iuta, Ambassador of Tuvalu Minute Alapati Taupo, Ambassador of the Marshall
Islands Philip K. Kabua, Ambassador of Palau Dilmei Louisa Olkeriil,
Representative of the Fiji Trade and Tourism Representative Office in the ROC
Karaisitiani Naligabasaga Vuibau, Business Manager of the Taipei Japanese
School Mr. Takanori Fujitsuka, as well as the Director of the National Taiwan
Museum Chen Chi-ming. The ambassadors and representatives stated that
combating climate change is a global task, and that the impact of climate change
is even more pronounced in their island countries, threatening the livelihood of
their people. Ambassador Kabua and Ambassador Olkeriil also pointed out that
many areas they used to play in as children are now submerged, and that we can
expect that less land will be available for agriculture in the future, creating the
potential for armed conflict.
The impact of rising sea levels is felt not only in Pacific island nations, but also
on Taiwan’s western coast and in many places in Europe and other parts of the
world. Even though Taiwan is not a member of the UN, each year it sends a
delegation consisting of government officials, academics and industry
representatives to the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP). We thank our
diplomatic allies for expressing their support of Taiwan at these events and
recognizing Taiwan’s efforts in fighting climate change.
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In addition, coinciding with the UN World Environment Day, the EPA held a
premiere for the documentary One Earth, One Chance on June 5, 2014, at the
Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei to explain how citizens are combating
climate change in their daily lives, and to introduce Taiwan’s cooperation
projects with diplomatic allies in the South Pacific, in line with efforts by the
UN to encourage action by the international community to fight climate change.
Attendees at this premiere included the ambassadors of Nauru, Tuvalu, Kiribati,
the Marshall Islands, and Palau, as well as the representative of the US state of
Hawaii. They jointly urged the world to focus on the crisis faced by small island
nations. Also at the premiere were internationally renowned environmental artist
Vincent J. F. Huang and the Taiwan-based Canadian entertainer Chris Downs,
who participated in the filming of the documentary and shared their thoughts on
climate change at the event.
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