2024-06-05
By Ben Payton Summary Taiwan makes 60% of world’s chips but process uses a lot of energy; TSMC consumed 6.4% of Taiwan’s power in 2021 Digital economy’s energy demands rising; IEA predicts data centers will use 4% of global electricity by 2026 Companies such as Microsoft pushing for low-carbon chip production as supply chain emissions rise Semiconductor firms’ net zero targets beset by geographical limitations and regulatory challenges Nuclear power an option being pushed in Taiwan and in companies like Microsoft and Amazon June 4 – Outside of Taiwan, it is unlikely that many people have heard of the Hsinchu Science Park. But this sprawling campus in the north-west of the island is the home of several companies that have remained largely obscure, at least until recently, yet perform critical roles in the global economy. It is at Hsinchu, and other science parks dotted around Taiwan, that the most advanced semiconductors […]
2024-01-10
When it comes to the climate, all three candidates in Taiwan’s upcoming presidential election have emphasised the importance of taking action and committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The main driver behind this mainstreaming of climate policy is the fact that supply chain requirements have made the country’s export competitiveness highly connected to climate performance. Therefore, we must scrutinise the comprehensiveness of each candidate’s policy proposals, rather than solely relying on whether they are climate denialists, to distinguish their positions. Taiwan Climate Action Network (TCAN), a collaborative advocacy platform organised by five NGOs, has thus produced a climate commitment tracker to compare their positions on seven key climate-related policies: (1) 2030 emissions reduction target, (2) carbon pricing strategies, (3) 2030 power mix, (4) renewable energy development plan, (5) industrial decarbonisation, (6) public participation, and (7) just transition. In this article, we will focus specifically on their 2030 pledges, carbon pricing strategies, and just […]
2023-08-17
This press release first appeared in the Green Citizens’ Action Alliance on 17/08/2023, and the key points are translated into English and republished here. · Only 7% (128) of Taiwanese listed companies have committed to net-zero by 2050, which slightly increased from 3% last year. · Although 18% (334) of listed companies have interim targets for GHG reduction, they do not make pledges to get to net-zero emission. · 75% (1300+) of listed companies have not set GHG reduction targets nor mentioned any future plan to reduce GHG emissions. · In Taiwan, there are 293 hard-to-abate companies with annual emissions more than 25 kilotons of CO2e, [1] but merely 8% (24) of them have committed to reach net-zero target by mid-century. The Taiwanese government has already committed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 since 2021. Earlier this year, the amendment of “Climate Change Response Act” was finished; relevant policies and “12 […]
2023-04-19
Last year, Taiwan’s National Development Council published the “Taiwan’s Pathway to Net-zero Emissions by 2050” and “12 Key Strategies” to respond the trends of 2050 net-zero goals that have been committed by many economies in the world. Based on the targets and strategies, Taiwan’s Industrial Development Bureau also proposed “Net-zero Transition Pathway of Industrial Sector by 2030” to further explain its short- and medium-term plans to drive industrial decarbonization. It is true that the Taiwanese government has made some progress regarding climate policy planning, but it is not sufficient to ensure that Taiwan meets the climate pledges. The biggest problem may be that the “12 Key Strategies” do not have a coherent action plan to decarbonize industrial sector nor innovative policy tools to encourage hard-to-abate industries to adopt low-carbon technologies — despite they produce around 40% of the country’s emissions. Instead of an ambitious industrial plan, measures to cut emissions […]
2023-01-31
Published on 31/01/2023, 4:35pm Comment: Taiwan’s industry is responsible for more than half of its emissions but the government’s new climate policies have no specific plan to tackle them. Youth climate activists took to the streets of Taipei in September 2020 (Picture: Li-Wen Chang/Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition) By Chia-Wei Chao and Benjamin Yang When Taiwan makes climate headlines, it’s usually only because of the nation’s impact on the US and China’s climate talks. But the island is important in its own right too. It is the 22nd biggest emitter in the world and is highly at risk from storms and sea level rise. Taiwan’s government has made two big moves on climate recently, but these might not guarantee success unless the country cleans up its biggest source of emissions: industry. Key moves First, on December 28, it allocated US$30 billion for climate investments up to 2030. DR Congo delays rainforest oil auctions Known as the 12 key strategies, this […]
2022-12-20
This press release first appeared in the Green Citizens’ Action Alliance on 12/20/2022, and is translated into English and republished here. · 80% (1300+) of Taiwanese publicly-listed companies do not set GHG reduction targets. Even companies with climate goals do not show enough climate ambitions (e.g. Only planning to reduce 20% of carbon emissions by 2030.) · Only 2.7% (47) of publicly-listed companies have committed to 2050 net-zero targets. · Most companies do not have credible climate strategies nor disclose scope 3 emissions, which is not aligned with the criteria of the ‘Integrity Matters’ report published by the United Nations’ High-Level Expert Group at COP27. · To increase the quantity and quality of disclosed climate targets and plans, the Taiwanese authority should develop more ambitious policy instruments, such as corporate sustainability reporting standards, carbon footprint labels for specific products, and low-carbon procurement for public construction. In December 2022, five environmental non-governmental organizations […]
