President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday reaffirmed Taiwan’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 at a “Taiwan Day” event held on the sidelines of the UN’s COP26 climate summit to highlight the nation’s resolve to join the climate fight as a global partner.
COP26 is being held in Glasgow, Scotland, until Friday without Taiwan’s formal participation.
Instead, a delegation of more than 30 Taiwanese officials arrived on Friday to stage activities and attend events on the sidelines of the summit as a “non-governmental organization.”
Photo courtesy of Greenpeace East Asia
Its plans culminated yesterday in “Taiwan Day,” an event held to communicate the nation’s resolve to participate in global climate response, as well as to echo Tsai’s call for net-zero emissions by 2050, Representative to the UK Kelly Hsieh (謝武樵) said.
Addressing the event via a video message, Tsai spoke of Taiwan’s willingness to work with its global partners, saying no country can solve the climate crisis alone.
“Since 2016, our government has been actively pursuing energy transition and developing a more aggressive plan to accelerate toward net neutrality,” she said.
To demonstrate this commitment, net-zero emissions by 2050 would be written into law, Tsai said, referring to Premier Su Tseng-chang’s (蘇貞昌) instruction to the Environmental Protection Administration on Aug. 30 to include the goal in its draft climate change response act.
She highlighted Taiwan’s achievements, including its 450 percent increase in solar power capacity over the past five years and the creation in 2019 of the nation’s first offshore wind farm.
“Our efforts do not end here,” she added.
Taiwan also plans to become a center of green energy in Asia “with the hopes of sharing our experiences and working together with our neighbors for the sustainable development of the region,” Tsai said.
“I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate Taiwan’s willingness and ability to work side-by-side with global partners to achieve our shared goal of net-zero emissions by 2050,” she added.
In Taiwan last night, climate advocacy groups celebrated by illuminating the sides of Taipei 101, the Presidential Office Building and Kaohsiung’s 85 Sky Tower with climate-forward messages.
Plan B, 350 Taiwan, the Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition and Greenpeace in a news release expressed their hope that the messages reading “TW,” “net 0” and “2050” would spark public discussion of climate issues.
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