Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue. It has become a burning national security issue. Extreme weather threatens all aspects of Taiwan’s survival. In the face of this all-encompassing challenge, Taiwan must think outside the box and include climate action in national security plans.
Climate change is a national security issue for several reasons. Taiwan is an export-driven economy: The semiconductor industry is key to the global supply chain, and wafer manufacturing requires a stable supply of water and electricity. However, unpredictable rainfall has become the new normal, driving already limited water resources to the brink. A technology park shutting down due to water and electricity shortages would devastate the economy and jeopardize the global supply chain.
The green transformation carries hidden geopolitical risks. Green industries, such as electric vehicles and energy storage, require an increasing amount of lithium, cobalt and other rare earth minerals. However, these strategic resources, often sourced from a handful of countries, could sway the geopolitical battle between the US and China. If Taiwan fails to secure alternative suppliers and establish recycling mechanisms, energy transformation could hinder national security and development.
Climate change brings more than natural disasters; it tests resilience. Taiwan is a small and populous country; even with heavy rainfall, Taiwan has long been troubled by water storage issues. Competition among agricultural, industrial and domestic water is likely to intensify.
Climate disasters drive mass migration. Taiwan has long relied on migrant workers, from countries like Vietnam and the Philippines that are prone to climate disaster. Climate refugees could shock Taiwan’s labor market; they could also strain social welfare, education and healthcare systems, not to mention humanitarian rescue efforts.
Nevertheless, with crises come opportunities. Globally, Taiwan maintains technological advantages in many fields, such as semiconductors, information technology, disaster prevention and energy conservation.
If Taiwan could wield its technological advantages by investing in smart grids, efficient energy storage systems, water management, climate alerts and other key technologies, it would become resilient. Taiwan could become a climate tech hub in the Asia-Pacific region, providing stability and a model for climate governance around the world.
While Taiwan has been excluded from many international organizations, climate diplomacy provides a new opportunity to increase our international presence. By exchanging ideas with other cities, organizations and academic institutions, we can share the nation’s experiences in weather technology, disaster prevention and renewable energy with other partners. These would deepen relations with other Asia-Pacific nations, bolster Taiwan’s diplomatic power, expand its international influence and build mutually beneficial partnerships.
When climate change becomes a national security issue, traditional governance no longer suffices. The government should establish an intergovernmental network, and draft a multifaceted and visionary plan for national security and climate change, which could lay out strategies for water distribution, energy transformation, industrial development, social security and diplomacy.
Climate change is a battle for survival; we have no choice but to brave through. Taiwan must face the risks and treat it as a national security issue. Only then can the nation remain steady amid a turbulent future, ensuring the wellbeing of its residents and its long-term development.
Su Wei-cheng is a lecturer and a former secretary of the president of the Legislative Yuan.
Translated by Cayce Pan
President William Lai (賴清德) attended a dinner held by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) when representatives from the group visited Taiwan in October. In a speech at the event, Lai highlighted similarities in the geopolitical challenges faced by Israel and Taiwan, saying that the two countries “stand on the front line against authoritarianism.” Lai noted how Taiwan had “immediately condemned” the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas and had provided humanitarian aid. Lai was heavily criticized from some quarters for standing with AIPAC and Israel. On Nov. 4, the Taipei Times published an opinion article (“Speak out on the
Most Hong Kongers ignored the elections for its Legislative Council (LegCo) in 2021 and did so once again on Sunday. Unlike in 2021, moderate democrats who pledged their allegiance to Beijing were absent from the ballots this year. The electoral system overhaul is apparent revenge by Beijing for the democracy movement. On Sunday, the Hong Kong “patriots-only” election of the LegCo had a record-low turnout in the five geographical constituencies, with only 1.3 million people casting their ballots on the only seats that most Hong Kongers are eligible to vote for. Blank and invalid votes were up 50 percent from the previous
More than a week after Hondurans voted, the country still does not know who will be its next president. The Honduran National Electoral Council has not declared a winner, and the transmission of results has experienced repeated malfunctions that interrupted updates for almost 24 hours at times. The delay has become the second-longest post-electoral silence since the election of former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez of the National Party in 2017, which was tainted by accusations of fraud. Once again, this has raised concerns among observers, civil society groups and the international community. The preliminary results remain close, but both
News about expanding security cooperation between Israel and Taiwan, including the visits of Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) in September and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) this month, as well as growing ties in areas such as missile defense and cybersecurity, should not be viewed as isolated events. The emphasis on missile defense, including Taiwan’s newly introduced T-Dome project, is simply the most visible sign of a deeper trend that has been taking shape quietly over the past two to three years. Taipei is seeking to expand security and defense cooperation with Israel, something officials
RSS