A workshop organized by the British Trade and Cultural Office (BTCO) to educate young people on climate change opened yesterday in Taipei.
BTCO director David Campbell said at the opening ceremony that climate change was more than just an environmental issue and failure to tackle it would undermine global security and prosperity, as recent scientific data has shown that its impact is being felt more quickly and more broadly than previously thought.
“It’s important for us to realize that we can make a difference. In fact, those who move early on this issue can in fact see economic benefits in developing new technologies and new strategies to deal with the missions,” Campbell said.
Applauding Taiwan’s recent moves to promote energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy sources, Campbell said he hoped the government could establish a legal framework to allow long-term decisions to be taken that will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
With Taiwan’s highly skilled workforce, its expertise in the high-tech industries, it is well placed to benefit from taking a leading role in combating climate change, he said.
Saying that he has seen tremendous interest in Taiwan at the political level, the business level and from civic groups about tackling climate change, Campbell said Britain was keen to share its experience and to support the cause.
Exploring ways to expand the use of renewable energies could be a very good area for Taiwan and the UK to cooperate, Campbell said, adding that the UK has many experts and universities dedicated to developing solar technology and tidal power.
The two-day “Building A Generation to Combat the Climate Crisis” workshop is held at the Taipei Youth Hub in collaboration with Taiwan Environmental Action Network.
Some 30 university students taking the workshop will learn about the opportunities and challenges of global climate governance and how to help tackle the issue.
Dustin Lin, a junior majoring in economics at National Tsing Hua University, said he is an environmental activist, and that he had established a network at his school where students can share their experiences and ideas on climate change.
“It is such a pity that people who have the passion to do something for the cause have no idea how to start. My network in the university is aimed at serving as a platform for them to discuss how to take practical local actions to combat the climate crisis,” Lin said.
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