Taiwan Vows 30% Emissions Cut

 

Taiwan's Minister for Environmental Protection Administration Stephen Shu-hung Shen urged the inclusion of Taiwan in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty aimed at lowering the impacts of climate change, highlighting the government's existing environmental programs that could help reduce carbon emissions.
"Saving energy and reducing carbon are not just abstract concepts in Taiwan. Confronted as we all are with the severe challenges that climate change poses, I sincerely urge the international community to take Taiwan's bid to meaningfully participate in the UNFCCC seriously, and to include Taiwan in its mutual assistance system," he said in a statement.
Shen revealed that Taiwan pledged that it would cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 30 percent below business-as-usual (BAU) levels by 2020. "This is not only in line with the fundamental principles of the UNFCCC, but is also a clear declaration of Taiwan's position and determination to reduce GHG emissions," he said.
Shen added that in 2009, the Committee for the Promotion of Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction, was established, drawing up a master plan to fulfill its mandate. The plan calls for concrete actions in such areas as energy, industry, transportation, architecture and lifestyle.
This year, Shen noted, the government approved national climate change adaptation guidelines covering eight major domains - disasters, essential infrastructure, water resources, land use, coastal areas, energy supply and the energy sector, agriculture and biodiversity, and health. "The guidelines call for the impact and challenges brought by climate change to be studied, for adaptation strategies to be proposed by the relevant government agencies, and for an implementation and evaluation mechanism to be established," he said.

Shen assured that Taiwan is continuing to promote the passage of a number of environmental bills such as Greenhouse Gas Reduction Bill and Energy Tax Bill to add to its existing Energy Management Act and the Renewable Energy Development Statute, which constitutes the legal framework for GHG reduction in Taiwan.
Shen underscored the inaugural address of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou this year which stressed that "one of the five pillars of Taiwan's national development is developing an environment characterized by low carbon emissions and high reliance on green energy."
Posted by Alisa Fishel