To attract all walks of life to move towards green chemistry and expand the benefits of promoting green chemistry, the EPA and the Ministry of Education (MOE) jointly held the Green Chemistry Joint Awards Ceremony and Results Presentation on 26 May 2023. The event incorporated activities focusing on the concept of sustainable development and ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) issues, aiming to encourage all sectors to move towards sustainable development and promote green chemistry in industry, government, academia, and research sectors.

The Third Green Chemistry Application and Innovation Awards were presented to encourage enterprises while the Third College Green Chemistry Innovation Competition and the 2022 Senior High School Green Chemistry Innovation Competition were held to encourage college and high school students to follow the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry. A total of 69 individuals and teams were recognized. The ceremony was addressed by Premier Chen Chien-jen, convener of the National Chemical Substance Management Board of the Executive Yuan, who expressed sincere appreciation and respect for the outstanding contributions of the green chemistry award recipients. In addition, one of the founders of the field of green chemistry, John C. Warner of the United States, was invited to congratulate the recipients via a video message and to encourage all fields to promote green chemistry at source while emphasizing the importance of disseminating the concept of environmental sustainability on campuses. 
The Third Green Chemistry Application and Innovation Awards, organized by the EPA, received a total of 69 nominees. After a rigorous selection process, 14 outstanding organizations and 10 individuals were chosen as winners. In the group category, the awarded organizations came from industry, government, academia, and research sectors and have contributed to creating a sustainable environment through green chemistry by making significant contributions in promoting safe alternatives, promoting non-toxic processes, developing environment-friendly approaches to enhance economic benefits, and promoting toxic disaster prevention and response. In the individual category, the winners had not only devoted themselves to long-term research in green chemistry but also promoted the concept of sustainable environmental development. Some of the awardees have excelled in green chemistry education and have led their students to numerous awards, demonstrating their outstanding contributions to the field of green chemistry. These awarded organizations and individuals are all crucial driving forces behind Taiwan's green chemistry promotion, serving as role models for all sectors.
In addition, the EPA and the MOE jointly organized the Third College Green Chemistry Innovation Competition and the 2022 Senior High School Green Chemistry Innovation Competition. Both had received strong support from many teachers and students. The former attracted 70 team entries and ultimately selected 20 winning teams, while the latter received 144 team entries and ultimately selected 20 winning teams along with five school awards. The awarded projects in both competitions showcased the boundless creativity of the students.
The EPA stated that protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development require interdisciplinary cooperation and collaboration. To deepen the exchange between different fields, besides hosting the award ceremony, the EPA also organized various activities in the afternoon, including the Enterprise Sustainable Governance (ESG) Event, the College Innovation Competition Results Presentation, and the High School Innovation Competition Results Presentation. These events involved discussions on topics related to corporate integrity, green chemistry, and ESG sustainable development. Through two-way communication and sharing of experiences, the EPA sought to foster consensus and establish trustworthy partnerships between the public and private sectors in implementing environmental protection efforts. 
For more information on the awards, please visit the EPA’s Green Chemistry Application and Innovation Awards website  ( https://topic.epa.gov.tw/gcai/mp-9.html ), the College Green Chemistry Innovation Competition website ( https://topic.epa.gov.tw/gcic/mp-13.html ), and the MOE’s 2022 Senior High School Green Chemistry Innovation Competition website ( https://chem.moe.edu.tw/green/AwardsDetail/f6f62fbc-9de4-4fcd-a177-24ca3cdabdfd ). 

Excerpt from Major Environmental Policies, May 2023