The social, environmental and financial risks of climate change are well-known.
However, although it is important that we remain focused on tackling these, we must also respond rapidly to the opportunities they present. The transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy is rightly making everyone reconsider the way we generate, transport and consume energy.
While other countries are still deliberating over carbon commitments, the UK has embraced the economy-wide opportunity. Earlier this year, the UK government published a new Carbon Plan setting out what has to happen and by when if the UK is to live up to its green ambitions, meet domestic carbon targets and encourage greater action internationally. This focuses on the jobs and economic opportunities of the low carbon economy and on policies that will help insulate Britain from future energy price shocks.
This Carbon Plan sets out a vision of a changed Britain, powered by cleaner energy used more efficiently in homes and businesses, with more secure energy supplies and more stable energy prices that will benefit from the jobs and growth that a low-carbon economy will bring.
However, as humanity moves toward creating a low-carbon world, we need to look beyond government solutions. The business community will be instrumental in shaping how the new “green” economy operates.
Businesses have the power to implement real, substantive and swift change and to enjoy the benefits of the rise of the green economy. This is particularly important given the global challenge of recovering from the global economic crisis. From software to agriculture and from manufacturing to transport, the UK is already mainstreaming new ways of thinking and new ways of working that seek to make businesses more energy and resource efficient.
Taiwanese business leaders are increasingly seeing climate change as one of their top concerns and businesses are now taking a hard look at their environmental impact. While corporate responsibility is a factor, the economic facts mean that business models cannot afford to ignore the green trend. Globally, the low-carbon and environmental goods and services sector already involves 1.4 million companies and over 28 million employees. The sector continues to grow despite the global downturn, and is forecast to grow by around 4 percent per year over the next five years.
Economies which invest in renewable energy reduce their dependency on imported oil, coal and gas, making them less vulnerable to global shocks.
The UK is an emerging international hub for low-carbon expertise and innovation, helping businesses across the world shift to a low-carbon future through smarter, sustainable solutions, making it an ideal investment location for low-carbon companies wanting to grow their business internationally. In every industry, the UK is demonstrating world-class capabilities in low-carbon, energy and resource efficiency — from the largest offshore wind capacity to cutting-edge marine energy technologies.
With a strong spirit of innovation and entrepreneurialism, the UK is ideally placed to prosper in this new world. Taiwanese companies, too, are developing technologies to help us use resources more efficiently. There is scope for partnership here as the UK and Taiwan both move quickly to low-carbon economies. The transition presents great opportunities to those economies able to seize them.
Investing time and money in low-carbon technology makes good business sense. With concerted effort, I am confident that even more can be achieved in partnerships between Taiwan and British companies.
David Campbell is Director of the British Trade and Cultural Office.
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
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