The Ministry of Environment on Thursday announced regulations governing how entities can produce carbon credits or offset their emissions as part of Taiwan’s bid to hit its net zero emissions target.
Two new regulations would oversee how entities manage their carbon emissions: One governs “voluntary reduction projects” by businesses and government entities and the other one governs emissions generated by businesses on development and construction projects, the ministry said.
The first regulation states that entities that emit less than 25,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide — and are therefore not subject to the carbon fee — would be eligible to undertake “voluntary carbon emission reduction projects” that follow the internationally accepted measurable, reportable and verifiable guidance.
Photo: Wu Po-hsuan, Taipei Times
The reductions would need to have the characteristics of “additionality, avoiding overestimation, permanence, exclusive claim to GHG [greenhouse has] reductions, and avoiding social and environmental harms,” the Climate Change Administration Deputy Director-General Huang Wei-ming (黃偉鳴) said.
He said “additionality” meant that reductions would have to be made in addition to what entities are already doing to conform to the country’s existing environment-related legislation such the Air Pollution Control Act (空氣汙染防制法).
The voluntary projects would be categorized into the “removal type” or the “reduction or avoidance type,” with carbon removal meaning the elimination of existing carbon emissions, and carbon reduction or avoidance meaning the technology-based reductions of emissions.
Entities that emit more than 25,000 metric tonnes a year — the carbon fee payers — would not be eligible for the “voluntary projects,” as they are obligated to cut emissions, the administration said.
They would be able to purchase carbon credits produced by those who participate in voluntary projects to partially offset their carbon fees, and if they reach a certain reduction goal, they would be granted a preferential carbon fee rate.
The second regulation would require those setting up new factories emitting more than 25,000 metric tonnes a year, or high-rise construction projects, to partially offset their newly generated emissions, either by buying carbon credits from voluntary projects or by implementing other offsetting measures.
Offsetting measures generating “quasi-carbon credits” include replacing motorcycles running on fuel with electric ones, using high-efficiency air-conditioning and replacing old agricultural machines.
Huang said the objective of “quasi-carbon credits” is to shift the burden of promoting electric motorcycles and other energy-efficient products from government to big businesses.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
Taipei resident Mu Chu-hua caught some glimpses of China’s mighty military parade on YouTube on Wednesday. As she watched hypersonic missiles roll down Beijing’s Changan Avenue and troops march in lockstep, she did not feel like they posed a threat to Taiwan. Mu, a 69-year-old retiree, said she saw the parade as simply a way for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to “say thank you to the troops.” “I thought it was quite normal,” she said. “It was very cool.” China’s military parade commemorating the end of World War II was being watched internationally for insights into Beijing’s military advances and its show
RSS