Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers.
The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought 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.
The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation.
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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.
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 wind speeds by about 7 percent and rainfall by 14 percent during Typhoon Gaemi last year, Greenpeace said.
Moreover, residential and commuter areas are already under tangible threat from extreme flooding due to climate change, it said.
It referenced a 2023 report by National Taiwan University’s Center for Weather, Climate and Disaster Research and flooding in New Taipei City’s Fujhou, Banqiao and Sanchong railway stations.
The government must address the long-term consequences of climate change on natural disasters and the environment, and protect the public’s rights in cases of natural disasters, Hsin said.
The public has the right to demand that the government and corporations uphold their carbon reduction commitments, she added.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on
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