High-ranking officials yesterday said that the government would prefer to develop a carbon emissions reduction strategy in accordance with the Asia-Pacific Part-nership on Clean Development and Climate (APP), rather than with the Kyoto Protocol -- a measure lauded by anti-Kyoto Protocol countries but condemned by environmentalists.
"While it's impossible to predict what the situation will be in the future, we hope that [Taiwan] will become a partner of the APP nations," Minister without Portfolio Ho Mei-yueh (
Ho made the remarks at a press conference held by the Government Information Office to publicize the agenda for the upcoming Economic Development Advisory Conference.
Although it is expected that measures to reduce carbon emissions will be discussed at the conference, which is scheduled for June 18 and 19, the government has remained cautious about the possible negative effects of the Kyoto Protocol on the nation.
The APP is an international non-treaty agreement among Australia, India, Japan, China, South Korea and the US, aimed at reducing carbon emissions not by setting carbon reduction goals as the Kyoto Protocol suggests, but by demanding that industries use advanced equipment that produces the least carbon emissions during the production process.
Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Steve Chen (陳瑞隆) gave a brief report on the issue at the press conference, saying that adopting Kyoto Protocol would not be beneficial to the nation.
"If we comply with the Kyoto Protocol's emissions reduction goal, we will suffer a big loss of GDP. The adoption will have a large impact on the economy," Chen said.
While Taiwan is not now obligated to comply with the Kyoto Protocol, the nation has been divided over whether to set a target of reducing greenhouse gases by national policies since the protocol entered into force last February.
Greenpeace, an international environmental organization, has criticized the APP, saying it relies only on voluntary measures, and contains no targets, timetables or financial mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS