The circular economy roadmap for 2050 is to be unveiled next year at the earliest, with resilience corridors built to address various challenges, President William Lai (賴清德) said at the fifth National Climate Change Countermeasures Committee meeting yesterday.
Typhoons Danas and Ragasa caused catastrophes such as flooding and landslides in Taiwan this year, and abnormally high temperatures continued nationwide, he said.
Those are clear warnings that climate-related disasters would become more frequent and severe, Lai said.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
Extreme weather has become more frequent globally and is impacting the society and economy of almost every country, he said.
The international trade landscape is also restructuring drastically, with new tariff barriers and emerging green supply chain requirements posing challenges to Taiwan’s export-oriented economy, he added.
The pressure from climate and economic changes has caused unease in society and increased uncertainty about the future, Lai said, adding that the government has a clear attitude toward these issues and would back Taiwanese and the nation’s industries.
Taiwan must be consistent in its green transition, he said.
A more resilient Taiwan that can better adapt to climate change would be more prosperous and economically independent, Lai said.
The Ministry of Environment has unveiled the draft bill for its circular economy roadmap for 2050, with the official version to be announced next year at the earliest, Lai said, adding that the ministry is also working on amendments to resource circulation regulations.
The added value created by the domestic green technology sector surpassed NT$500 billion (US$16.3 billion) last year, accounting for 2 percent of GDP, he said.
Meanwhile, added value from the circular economy, energy efficiency and renewable energy systems accounted for 73 percent of the sector’s total added value, which showed that these fields are crucial and that green growth is a driving force for overall national development, Lai said.
That is the fruit of the government’s efforts in promoting circular economy and energy transition policies, he added.
The government would also encourage more net zero initiatives in society, Lai said.
The Ministry of the Interior’s goal would be to reduce carbon emissions of the residential and commercial sector by 35 percent by 2030, aiming to promote energy-saving housing, he said.
The Ministry of Environment would propose ways to meet net zero targets while lowering air pollution to ensure clean air and improve public health, he added.
The road to net zero would have many challenges, but Taiwan should not change direction due to temporary difficulties, Lai said.
The government would work with the private sector to bolster the nation’s ability to deal with disasters, he said, adding that it would also set up more comprehensive climate adaptation mechanisms and construct resilience corridors to tackle different challenges.
The committee has two new members: National Cheng Kung University architecture professor Lin Tzu-ping (林子平) and Executive Yuan Youth Advisory Committee member Lei Ya-chi (雷雅淇), who is also managing director of Science Media Center Taiwan.
Executive Yuan Secretary-General Xavier Chang (張惇涵) and Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) are the committee’s executive secretaries.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
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