Taiwan’s exclusion from the UN climate change summit is a “major loss” for the world, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Deputy Minister Shen Chih-hsiu (沈志修) told a news conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.
The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy, commenced on Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland, and is to end on Friday next week. Taiwan has been excluded from the summit, because it is not a UN member.
To showcase the nation’s actions to address the climate crisis, the government has organized a delegation, led by Shen, to stage activities outside the summit, with the main event being the “Taiwan Day” on Sunday.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
Yesterday was the first time the government held a news briefing before sending a delegation to COP side events, Shen said.
The delegation would comprise more than 30 government officials, with Shen and most other members leaving for Glasgow today, he said.
Due to political factors, Taiwan can only participate in side events as a non-governmental organization (NGO), Shen said in response to media queries.
Taiwan’s exclusion from the summit is a “catastrophe” and a “major loss” for the world, he said, calling on the global community to respond to Taiwan’s bid for meaningful participation in international affairs.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Earth Day on April 22 announced the government’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, while Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Aug. 30 instructed the EPA to include the goal in a draft climate change response act, Shen said.
The government is working to phase out nuclear power generation facilities, boost the contribution of electricity generated from green and gas-fired sources, and cut the ratio of coal-fired power, he added.
About a dozen Taiwanese businesses, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, Delta Electronics and Acer, have demonstrated their resolve to promote energy transition in their supply chains by endorsing the goal of RE100, he added.
Officials from the foreign affairs ministry, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Financial Supervisory Commission are joining the delegation, Shen said.
The economics ministry would also share its climate action endeavors in Glasgow, as it is promoting green energy and low-carbon technologies, with the goal of developing hydrogen power and carbon capture and storage technology in the long run, Bureau of Energy Planning Division Director Chuang Ming-chih (莊銘池) said.
Tsai would give the opening remarks at the Taiwan Day event via video, while Representative to the UK Kelly Hsieh (謝武樵) and Glasgow City Councilor Philip Braat would deliver on-site speeches, an agenda provided by the foreign ministry showed.
The event would include a Taiwan-UK forum on climate action exchanges, it showed.
The forum would be attended by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Mong-kai (洪孟楷), Member of the British Parliament for Glasgow South Stewart McDonald and Member of the Scottish Parliament Paul O’Kane, the agenda showed.
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
RSS