More than half of Taiwan’s small and medium-sized manufacturers support carbon pricing, a Greenpeace Taiwan survey found, as stakeholders debate so-called “carbon anxiety” over proposed emissions penalties.
For the survey conducted from March 1 to April 8, the environmental group interviewed 106 manufacturers that have capital of less than NT$100 million (US$3.37 million) or fewer than 200 employees.
Most of the respondents were anticipating using funds raised by the carbon fees to subsidize equipment upgrades and transition to renewable energy, Greenpeace said on Tuesday.
Moreover, nearly 80 percent were accepting of broader carbon pricing and willing to share responsibility for energy transformation with large emitters, it said.
More than half supported a fee of at least NT$300 per tonne of emissions, as per international standards, it added.
Proposed carbon pricing under debate in the legislature would initially only apply to large enterprises, with implementation details forthcoming, said Hung Sheng-bang (洪昇邦), a climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia.
While the vast majority of respondents support the government’s push to become carbon neutral by 2050, most do not understand how it will happen, he said, adding that this is the source of “carbon anxiety.”
Most of the businesses surveyed view carbon pricing as an investment into a type of “climate insurance,” in the hopes that the government uses the funds to help businesses transition, he said, adding that firms would feel cheated if the government only concerns itself with collecting money or sets unreasonable fees.
Hung equated the fund to a collective piggy bank — if only a few coins are saved while administrative fees keep rising, it would all be for naught.
To help businesses prepare for carbon pricing, Hung said that the government should decide on a floor price and roadmap for expansion.
It should commit to guiding businesses through the process, while also setting up a Cabinet-level oversight mechanism to ensure that the system meets business needs, he added.
Taiwan Chemical Industry Association secretary-general Tseng Fan-ming (曾繁銘) said that Greenpeace’s findings correspond with the opinions expressed its members.
Renewable energy resources are being monopolized by large enterprises, crowding out smaller players, Tseng said.
If smaller companies are unable to meet the climate targets of their suppliers and customers, other countries could gain an upper hand, he said.
When setting carbon pricing, the government should consider targets set by competitors so that Taiwanese businesses do not face unfair competition, Tseng said.
Carbon funds should be used to help businesses upgrade equipment, attain clean energy, provide training and introduce new technologies to achieve net-zero emissions, he added.
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