The landmark Paris Agreement on climate change was a key achievement of multilateralism. And progress on ratification has been extraordinary — the Paris Agreement entered into force on Nov. 4 last year and 149 countries have already ratified it.
Yet there is no room for complacency: For the vision of a global climate-resilient, low-emissions future to actually materialize, we must now focus all our attention on putting our words into action.
We believe that addressing climate change provides countless opportunities to invent new and better ways to produce and consume, to invest and trade, and to protect lives, assets and livelihoods, for the benefit of all. To deliver the much-needed economic and social transformation, it is vital that emissions reduction targets and adaptation strategies are now translated into concrete, actionable policies and measures in all sectors of the economy. Intent alone does not guarantee delivery.
The EU and its member states are determined to play our full part in implementing the Paris Agreement, both at home and internationally. Europe has provided and will continue to provide substantial funding to support climate action in partner countries. In 2015 alone, support totaled 17.6 billion euros (US$149.7 at the current exchange rate).
At home, we are committed to completing the legislative and regulatory package necessary to deliver the EU’s target — reducing emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030. Our legislative actions cover all sectors of the economy and we are putting energy efficiency first, as well as boosting use of renewable energy across the bloc. Currently, 18 percent of the EU’s total energy consumption comes from renewable sources. The EU is on its way to achieve the 20 percent renewable energy target by 2020.
We understand concerns that taking action on climate change can affect economic growth, but we have found that the opposite is true: Our emissions have fallen by 22 percent since 1990, while the EU’s GDP has grown by 50 percent. During this period, we have created new jobs, businesses, technologies and competitive advantages, preparing our economies for the climate-resilient, low-carbon future.
At the same time, we are investing in increasing the resilience of our societies: Our experience shows that for each euro (US$1.12) invested in flood protection, we can save 6 euros in avoided flood damage. In other words, investing in climate resilience reduces current and future risks.
While Taiwan is not a party to the process, it also has an important role to play in meeting this global challenge. As the world’s 22nd-largest economy and a significant greenhouse gas emitter, Taiwan’s contribution to global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is clearly important.
In 2015, Taiwan’s Greenhouse Gases Reduction and Management Act (溫室氣體減量及管理法) was enacted and Taiwan adopted the long-term target of a 50 percent reduction from the 2005 level by 2050.
These are positive steps and we look forward to reading the detailed implementation plan to be published by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) at the end of this month.
While the EU has more than two decades of experience in developing and implementing ambitious climate policies, we know that many of our partners are doing so for the first time. We stand ready to share our experiences and lessons learned with Taiwan and remain committed to work with the nation on the development of renewable energy.
Developed economies like the EU and Taiwan have a special responsibility to take the lead, in both domestic action and in supporting the most vulnerable countries to make the transition to low-carbon, climate resilient economies.
We welcome Taiwan’s renewed commitment to its climate change objectives in EPA Minister Lee Ying-yuan’s (李應元) statement on June 2.
And it is not just governments that are taking action. The global climate challenges are of unprecedented breadth and scale. Businesses, cities and regions, civil society and individuals all have a crucial role to play in delivering action. Only by working together will we be able to live up to the level of ambition we have set ourselves — and the expectations of future generations.
The Paris accord was a defining moment in the fight to safeguard our environment for future generations. We must maintain that momentum in the months and years ahead, because the prize is truly worth it: Lower emissions, greater energy security and energy efficiency, innovation-driven growth, job creation, more resilient societies and a better environment. There is a lot of work to do and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Taiwan.
Signed by:
Ms Madeleine Majorenko, Head of the European Economic and Trade Office;
Mr Albin Mauritz, Director of the Austrian Office Taipei;
Mr Rik Van Droogenbroeck, Director of the Belgian Office Taipei;
Mr Vaclav Jilek, Representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office;
Mr Nicholas Enersen, Director of the Trade Council of Denmark, Taipei;
Mr Benoit Guidee, Director of the French Office in Taipei;
Mr Martin Eberts, Director General of the German Institute Taipei;
Mr Janos Albert, Representative of the Hungarian Trade Office;
Mr Donato Scioscioli, Representative of the Italian Economic, Trade and Investment Office, Taipei;
Mr Hugues Mignot, Director Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office, Taipei;
Mr Guy Wittich, Representative of the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office;
Mr Maciej Gaca, Director General of the Warsaw Trade Office;
Mr Michal Kovac, Representative of the Slovak Economic and Cultural Office, Taipei;
M. Jose Luis Echaniz Cobas, Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce;
Mr Henrik Persson, Representative of Business Sweden-the Swedish Trade and Invest Council;
Ms Catherine Nettleton, Representative of the British Office.
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