On September 23, at Climate Week NYC, the Taiwan Climate Action Network (TCAN) organized the forum “Climate Ambition in the Asia-Pacific: Progressive NDC 3.0 for Stronger National Resilience.” The event drew nearly 30 participants and featured representatives from the Asian nonprofit Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) and the independent public policy think tank The Australia Institute. Together, they discussed the latest progress in drafting the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0 in Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia.
The spotlight of COP30, to be held this November in Brazil, is on requiring countries to submit new carbon reduction pledges for 2035. Yet so far, just over 30 countries have submitted their NDCs, covering only about 21% of global emissions. Ahead of the summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all countries to present new NDCs before the September 24 Climate Ambition Summit, stressing that commitments must be “clear and actionable,” and above all that “policy targets must align with real action.”
From South Korea, Gahee Han, Director of Energy Market and Policy at SFOC, shared the country’s latest NDC developments. As the world’s 14th-largest greenhouse gas emitter, South Korea is currently reviewing four scenarios for its 2035 carbon reduction target, ranging from 48% to 65% below 2018 levels, with the likely final goal set at a 61% reduction. Under the most ambitious scenario, renewable energy’s share of power generation would rise from 6% today to 65% by 2035, while coal power would be entirely phased out. Han noted that the 61% target is feasible—not only showcasing South Korea’s climate leadership in Asia, but also driving energy transition and industrial innovation through investments in emerging low-carbon technologies.
From Australia, Leanne Minshull, Strategy Director at The Australia Institute, pointed out that while Australia is the world’s third-largest fossil fuel exporter, it has tried to project an image of climate leadership through PR campaigns, but its policies tell a different story. In September, the government released its first National Climate Risk Assessment, which highlights severe climate risks facing the country, yet at the same time approved an extension for Woodside’s North West Shelf gas project to operate until 2070. Minshull stressed that renewable energy development alone is insufficient to address the climate crisis—Australia must also confront and cut emissions from its fossil fuel exports.
As for Taiwan, although it has pledged a 38% ±2% reduction from 2005 levels by 2035, TCAN Research Director Chia-Wei Chao noted shortcomings in aligning with a net-zero pathway, concrete sectoral strategies, governance accountability, and just transition measures. He recommended that Taiwan raise its 2035 reduction target to 52% and accelerate the deployment of renewables and industrial low-carbon technologies to boost policy credibility and meet international expectations. Chao further noted that while President Lai recently highlighted that “Taiwan and the world are simultaneously facing the twin challenges of extreme climate and authoritarian systems,” and although the draft NDC 3.0 mentions the term resilience 13 times, Taiwan’s plan still falls short of delivering the triple benefits of energy, economic, and climate resilience. A more ambitious NDC 3.0, he argued, should not only raise the reduction target but also increase energy self-sufficiency, strengthen grid resilience, and expand distributed energy systems, thereby encouraging broader support for climate policy.
During the forum, held against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s UN General Assembly speech claiming that “climate change is the greatest hoax,” moderator Erin Sikorsky, Executive Director of the Center for Climate and Security, asked panelists about the implications for their countries. Representatives from Australia and South Korea said their climate policies remain unaffected. SFOC’s Han highlighted that recent climate litigation outcomes have become a driving force for stronger policies in both the executive branch and parliament, with the new Minister of Climate, Environment, and Energy planning to raise the 2030 renewable target from 72 GW to 100 GW. Chao pointed out that while Trump’s anti-renewable rhetoric was also echoed in Taiwanese media, support for net zero remains strong, reinforced by signals such as the EU’s carbon border tariff moving ahead as planned next year and Apple maintaining its 2030 carbon neutrality commitment.
Climate Week NYC, organized by the nonprofit Climate Group, has become one of the world’s largest platforms for climate action, featuring nearly 1,000 events and drawing over 100,000 participants this year. This marks the second consecutive year that the Taiwan Climate Action Network has joined the global gathering.
