President William Lai (賴清德) has announced a NT$10,000 cash handout to every citizen to share the economic dividends generated by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Significant precedent has been built up over the past few years of ruling and opposition parties supporting such cash handouts from budget surpluses, making the practice seem set to become a new norm. However, some have suggested that the funds should be used on projects such as a renewable-energy transition and environmental conservation, given the enormous amounts of water and electricity needed to meet AI industry demands.
Consider the Taiwanese humpback dolphin, the only endemic subspecies of cetacean in Taiwan. It has attracted attention because of a land reclamation project at the Port of Taichung that could affect the dolphins’ habitat.
Under the combined pressures of deteriorating marine environments and new development projects, the dolphin’s population has fallen sharply. An early estimate based on surveys conducted from 2002 to 2004 put the population at 99, while Taiwanese government monitoring estimates put the population at about 48 over the past few years.
Taiwan’s conservation policies have failed to keep pace with the decline of the dolphin’s population. Government and business developments around their habitats have not been accompanied by sufficient measures to offset the ecological damage.
Much of the enormous power demands for companies in the AI supply chain comes from energy facilities along the west coast, placing additional pressure on marine ecosystems. Compared with a system in place for logging, funding for ecological compensation for west coast developments remain woefully inadequate. The government should embrace an initial population recovery target of 100 dolphins by 2030 proposed by the Taiwanese White Dolphin Advisory Panel, and channel AI dividends into ecological conservation along the west coast.
The same principle should apply to conservation of the endangered eastern grass owl near the Southern Taiwan Science Park.
Where endangered species are at stake, the only responsible approach is to first invest in population recovery and then proceed cautiously with development. That is what it means to truly look after Taiwan.
Another key issue is climate justice. AI development depends heavily on electricity. Extending the operating lives of Taiwan’s aging nuclear power plants would not help meet the stringent standards of international supply chains. For example, the RE100 initiative precludes nuclear power. Meanwhile, small modular reactors are expensive and could not be brought online quickly enough. Expanding renewable energy therefore remains an overriding priority.
There is a serious disconnect between Taiwan’s energy transition and how much electricity people use daily. Household users consuming more than 700 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month could save money by installing renewable-energy systems rather than purchasing electricity from the grid.
Rooftop solar gardens for household use, community renewable-energy projects that share revenues with residents and agricultural companies that can meet RE100 certification could help return the benefits of renewable energy to local communities. If the government were to allocate budget surpluses to a comprehensive and inclusive green energy program, it could address public concerns and build a broader consensus in support of a green-energy transition.
Protecting endangered species can help create sustainable economies within socioecological systems, while realizing climate justice provides a foundation for urban, rural and industrial development. Investing AI dividends in ecological restoration and decentralized renewable energy would generate far-reaching, long-term benefits, far beyond what could be achieved through a one-off cash payment.
As the ruling and opposition parties debate how best to distribute budget surpluses and AI dividends, they should not forget that Taiwan’s environment, ecosystems and energy transition are in critical need of support.
Chen Bing-heng is a doctoral candidate in the College of Environmental Studies and Oceanography at National Dong Hwa University.
Translated by Gilda Knox Streader
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