This year is crucial for the effort to tackle climate change as the international community prepares for a new global climate deal at a UN meeting in Paris in December. The aim of the meeting is to design and agree on a robust and dynamic deal capable of restricting global temperature rise to less than 2oC compared with preindustrial times and avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.
The EU and its member states on March 6 submitted proposed contributions to the agreement — among the first to do so — committing to a legally binding target of at least a 40 percent domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990.
The EU called on Taiwan to demonstrate its political will to join the global effort by making a voluntary contribution that incorporates a stringent greenhouse gas reduction target.
The EU is a world leader in combating climate change and is on course to achieve its targets for 2020: reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent compared with 1990 levels, increase sources of renewable energy, account for 20 percent of generation and improve energy efficiency by 20 percent.
Europe’s experience shows that economic growth and greenhouse gas reduction are not only compatible, but also mutually beneficial. Between 1990 and 2012, the EU’s GDP grew more than 44 percent, while greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 18 percent. Europe’s renewable energy industry alone generates an annual turnover of 129 billion euros (US$143.7 billion) and has created more than 1 million jobs.
How does the EU do it? First, the need for action on climate change in Europe is recognized and supported by member governments, industries and the public. Nine out of 10 Europeans consider climate change to be a serious problem and two-thirds of the people say that transforming to a green economy would boost economic activity and reduce unemployment.
Second, the EU has set out a long-term strategy to set Europe on a path to a low-carbon economy. This is supported by a range of policy instruments, enabling legislation, capital funding, research and development programs and public outreach efforts. Europe boasts the world’s largest carbon market, the European Emissions Trading Scheme. Energy efficiency requirements also drive efforts to reduce energy demand across a range of sectors, including transport and manufacturing. The EU can not only become more resource efficient and less dependent on fossil fuel imports, but is a leading clean-technology exporter and service provider.
Taiwanese, like Europeans, view climate change as an issue that needs to be urgently addressed. According to a climate change and energy survey by the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy on April 26, 90.7 percent of Taiwanese say that climate change is happening and 89.2 percent support the government to pass the greenhouse gas reduction bill. Taiwan’s greenhouse gas emissions are disproportionately high at 10.95 tonnes per capita, placing it 20th in the world. Almost 90 percent of its emissions come from the combustion of fossil fuels — coal, oil and natural gas.
With a coherent strategy and the political will to deliver effective policy action, the most cost-effective solutions to minimize such emissions in Taiwan through the development of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency can be achieved. Taiwan is a world leader in technology innovation and is well positioned to move toward a “green” economy.
Taiwan is the world’s second-largest producer of solar cells, with an annual turnover of about NT$200 billion (US$6.47 million), although 98 percent of cells are for export. It also has some of the world’s best conditions for wind farms. However, emphasis on technology innovation has come ahead of domestic deployment, with sources of renewable energy only accounting for 1.9 percent of energy supply in 2013.
The latest version of the greenhouse gas reduction bill is being discussed in the Legislative Yuan, but Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Minister Wei Kuo-yan (魏國彥) has announced that Taiwan plans to make a voluntary contribution ahead of the Paris meeting.
With a drop in global energy prices and Taiwan enjoying some of the world’s lowest electricity prices, now is the time to drive domestic growth in the low-carbon sector to achieve the complementary aims of tackling climate change, increasing energy security and maintaining economic competitiveness.
While parties are on the road to Paris, Taiwan should take meaningful domestic action and commit to a stringent and legally binding greenhouse gas reduction target to provide itself with a platform to tackle climate change.
The EU has made significant progress over the past 25 years in combating climate change and realizing the related benefits for society and the economy. It is as committed as ever to this and is ready to share best practice to address one of the defining challenges of our generation.
Albin Mauritz, director, Austrian Office Taipei; Caroline Vermeulen, director, Belgian Office, Taipei; Chris Wood, representative, British Office; Vaclav Jilek, representative, Czech Economic and Cultural Office; Linda Jakobsen, director, The Trade Council of Denmark, Taipei; Teppo Turkki, representative, Finpro Taiwan, Finland’s Trade and Innovation Office; Olivier Richard, director, French Office in Taipei; Martin Eberts, director general, German Institute Taipei; Levente Szekely, representative, Hungarian Trade Office; Donato Scioscioli, representative, Italian Economic, Trade and Cultural Promotion Office; Hugues Mignot, director, Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office, Taipei; Hans Fortuin, representative, Netherlands Trade and Investment Office; Michal Kovac, representative, Slovak Economic and Cultural Office, Taipei; Borja Rengifo, director general, Spanish Chamber of Commerce; Henrik Persson, representative, Business Sweden – The Swedish Trade and Invest Council; Maciej Gaca, director general, Warsaw Trade Office; Frederic Laplanche, head of the European Economic and Trade Office.
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