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.
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