Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Minister Wei Kuo-yen (魏國彥) yesterday said that Taiwan needs to propose a greenhouse gas reduction goal, otherwise the nation could face international sanctions over its excessive per capita carbon dioxide emissions.
Wei made the statement at a legislative committee session to discuss a draft greenhouse gas reduction act (溫室氣體減量法).
He said that the international community last year agreed to implement a new protocol at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Paris in December.
The new accord is to supplant the Kyoto Protocol, whose term of validity expires in 2020, and it is to become the sole legally binding document addressing climate change, Wei said.
Under the new accord, each signatory will be expected to propose a carbon reduction goal, known as the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), after assessing its national priorities, circumstances and capabilities.
Wei said that carbon dioxide generated by Taiwan accounts for about 0.81 percent of the world’s emissions, which may seem low, but its annual carbon dioxide emissions per capita amount to 11 tonnes, putting the nation 20th in the world.
He said that although Taiwan is not a member of the UN, it too will be expected by the international community to lay down a reduction plan for greenhouse gas emissions; otherwise it could face sanctions when an international tariff system on carbon emissions comes into effect.
Meanwhile, legislators on the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee yesterday afternoon unfroze budgets totaling NT$95.93 million (US$3.13 million) for 25 EPA projects, while maintaining the freeze, totally or partially, on the budgets of four other projects.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) suspended NT$270,000 requested by the administration to participate in what it calls meetings for academic exchanges in “global atmospheric quality protection” with China.
Three projects relating to waste reduction, noise control and control of toxic chemicals were partially frozen.
The budgets that remained frozen totaled about NT$119.3 million.
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