Greenpeace today said it is to file an appeal after the Taipei High Administrative Court last month dismissed its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs for “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers.
The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — seeks to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather phenomena.
The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was overturned on May 8 following four years of litigation.
Photo: Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Reuters
The groups said that the Regulations for the Management of Setting up Renewable Energy Power Generation Equipment of Power Users above a Certain Contract Capacity (一定契約容量以上之電力用戶應設置再生能源發電設備管理辦法), promulgated by the ministry in 2021, were ineffective in incentivizing corporations to reduce emissions.
Greenpeace said it would continue to challenge the court ruling on legal and factual grounds, adding that all voices must be heard and respected equally when it comes to climate justice.
The judge said that people or civic groups only have the right of initiation in legislation, but have no right to demand that administrative agencies amend laws, Greenpeace East Asia climate and energy director Hsin I (忻儀) said.
The court also found that Taiwan experiences typhoons, floods and natural disasters due to its geographical location, and it is difficult to determine whether extreme weather events are related to climate change, she said.
However, it is already internationally recognized and scientifically proven that Taiwan’s extreme weather phenomena are related to climate change, she said.
Research by World Weather Attribution found that climate change increased Typhoon Gaemi’s wind speeds by about 7 percent and rainfall by 14 percent last year, Greenpeace said.
Moreover, residential and commuter areas are already under tangible threat from extreme flooding due to climate change, it added.
It referenced a 2023 report by National Taiwan University’s Center for Weather, Climate and Disaster Research and cases of flooding around New Taipei City’s Fuzhou, Banqiao and Sanchong railway stations in recent years.
The government must address the long-term consequences of climate change on natural disasters and the environment, and protect citizens’ rights in cases of natural disasters, Hsin said.
Citizens have the right to demand that the government and corporations uphold their carbon reduction commitments, she added.
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