Taiwan makes significant progress on carbon reduction

2016/07/29

The total carbon emissions from Taiwan’s manufacturing sector fell by more than 11 million metric tons between 2006 and 2015, indicating sectoral greening efforts are paying off, according to the Industrial Development Bureau under the Ministry of Economic Affairs July 26.

The emissions generated by Taiwan’s manufacturing industries per dollar of output are currently 45 percent lower than a decade ago, which demonstrates the effectiveness of public-private sector cooperation on promoting environmentally friendly production processes, IDB added.

Since 2006, the bureau has played a significant role in helping local enterprises tackle carbon emissions through a variety of consultation and power-saving programs, including reaching voluntary reduction targets with energy-intensive industries, providing technical assistance, promoting the integration of energy resources in industrial zones, assisting in the establishment of power management systems, and supporting green factory certification.

Highlighting the impact of the voluntary carbon reduction targets reached with energy-intensive industries, IDB noted participating sectors, such as cement, iron and steel, paper and petrochemical manufacturing, implemented a total of 7,776 carbon reduction measures between 2006 and 2015. These efforts, which required a combined investment of NT$42.1 billion (US$1.3 billion), have led to a decrease of 10.22 million metric tons of carbon emissions as well as an increase in total production output.

IDB has also formed working groups with representatives from seven major industrial sectors, staging 17 meetings thus far to discuss potential obstacles, solutions and support measures for carbon reduction. Going forward, the bureau intends to promote the adoption of emerging technologies such as smart energy management systems to help ensure the nation meets its emissions targets.

Under the 2015 Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Management Act, Taiwan has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions to half their 2005 levels by 2050. This objective is in line with the targets in the Paris Agreement, which was reached at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change last November.

Although Taiwan is not a member of the U.N. and therefore not a signatory to the convention, it sends a delegation to the COP host city every year in support of global efforts to tackle climate change and to promote its bid to participate in the UNFCCC as an observer.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=246581&ctNode=2194&mp=9)