Taiwan sets INDC goal for greenhouse gas

2015/09/21

Taiwan pledged to reduce its 2030 carbon emissions by 50 percent under the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions unveiled Sept. 17 by the Cabinet.

The target of 214 million tons is 20 percent lower than the 2005 level, helping bring Taiwan’s total emissions in 2050 to half that of 2005. This commitment is in line with the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Management Act passed in June by the Legislature.

Cabinet spokesman Sun Lih-chyun said Taiwan’s INDC goal underscores the commitment of the government to meeting the standards set down by the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. “It also places local industry on notice that development must be carried out with a view to minimizing emissions and eliminating this issue as a possible trade barrier.”

According to Sun, the Cabinet has directed all relevant agencies to canvass input from affected sectors and the public in mapping out respective measures.

Wei Kuo-yen, minister of the Environmental Protection Administration, said without the INDC goal, Taiwan’s annual emissions were projected at 428 million tons by 2030.

“But given the country’s changing demographics, economy and industrial structure, we expect annual energy and electricity consumption growth rates to drop from 1.8 percent to 0.3 percent and from 2.4 percent to 1.1 percent, respectively, between 2016 and 2030.

“This will slash emissions to between 220 and 260 million tons by 2030,” Wei said, adding that the introduction of more advanced technologies like carbon capture and storage and thermal power generation should bring emissions down by a further 6 million tons.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=236789&ctNode=2194&mp=9)