The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday said it would work with businesses to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity generation and transportation industries, which saw moderate increases last year despite a nationwide reduction of 4.1 percent.
The bulk of reductions were a result of the economic downturn over the last year, EPA Minister Stephen Shen (沈世宏) said. He added that in the absence of a concrete greenhouse gas reduction act, further reductions would have to come by working with businesses and other major emitters
The proposal was submitted to the legislature in 2006. However, it has been repeatedly held up, prompting EPA officials to speculate that lawmakers were concerned about its possible effect on big industries. The bill includes a platform for domestic carbon-emissions trading and hopes that eventually it will allow Taiwan to connect the network with international carbon markets.
Representatives from China Airlines Ltd, the nation’s biggest carrier by volume, said the company would work to reduce its yearly emissions output of 6.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to set an example for the transportation industry.
Dean Young (楊定輝), vice-president of the company’s Corporate Safety Division, said the airline expected to reduce that amount by introducing more fuel efficient engines, streamlining passenger networks and reducing aircraft weight.
He said the airline recognized the importance of reducing emissions, but reductions would also have to come from other industries because airplane emissions only account for 2 percent of the global total, while contributing 8 percent of economic output.
Meanwhile, representatives for Taipei 101 pledged to create one of the world’s tallest green buildings by drastically reducing power consumption, which accounts for almost 98 percent of the building’s yearly output of 62,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
Although the 4.1 percent reduction in Taiwan’s overall carbon dioxide emissions is the first reduction since 1991, Taiwan still ranks among the top 20 global emitters per capita and contributes about 1 percent of worldwide emissions.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it