The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday released the results of a study on the carbon emissions absorbed by 22 different species of trees that they hope will help the government and the public plan green initiatives.
Several species, including the Taiwan zelkova, Indian rosewood and Chinese Pistachios, were found to have the greatest efficiency in absorbing carbon — more than 0.5mg of the pollutant per second — the study found.
EPA officials said that the figures would be a good reference point for corporations looking to offset emissions as part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act (溫室氣體減量法), which is expected to become law early next year.
The act has been held up in the legislature since 2006 because of the controversial clauses covering a system of carbon trading and emissions offsetting.
Environmental activists have called on the legislature to scrap the act and implement a carbon tax instead. They say a carbon tax would be more effective.
Hsieh Yein-rui (謝燕儒), who heads the EPA’s Air Quality Protection and Noise Control Department, said the agency would try to introduce additional incentives for tree planters after the law is passed to complement enticements provided by the Forestry Bureau.
However, he said it would be difficult for tree planters to make a profit in Taiwan from selling emissions offsets because of the nation’s limited amount of open space and the low price of carbon emissions internationally, which currently stand at 14 euros (US$20) per tonne.
Organizations led by the Taiwan Environmental Action Network (TEAN) have expressed concern that international carbon trading schemes would lead to a massive outflow of “green” capital because of the high domestic cost and relatively cheaper offsets in neighboring countries such as China.
The study also took into account the amount of time a tree needs to mature and its absorption of other airborne pollutants.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
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