The National Development Council (NDC), in coordination with the EPA and other ministries, held a press conference on 28 December 2022 to announce phased target and key strategies concerning transition toward net-zero emission. The NDC explained that the 2030 goal has been modified from the originally proposed 20% reduction compared to the baseline year (2005) to a 24 ± 1% reduction. Taiwan’s carbon reduction goals have all been set following the principles of the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Protocol, which delegate mutual responsibilities with different weights for each country based on respective individual capacities. Factors considered in the formulation of reduction goals include references on international circumstances, domestic policies, Taiwan’s historic trends of carbon emission, trends of Taiwanese corporations returning with investments here, overall economic growth and increases in electricity consumption.

The government has continued to formulate relevant policies ever since President Tsai Ing-Wen announced Taiwan’s goal of net-zero emission by 2050 on Earth Day 2022 (April 22). Taiwan’s Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions and Strategies in 2050, announced on 30 March, covers transformation in four areas, which are energy, industry, lifestyle, and social transformations, as well as two governing foundations, which are technological development and climate legislation.

The 12 key strategies include wind and solar energy; hydrogen energy; forward-looking energy; electricity system and energy storage; energy conservation; carbon capture, utilization, and storage; electrification and de-carbonization of vehicles; resource circulation and zero-waste; natural carbon sinks; green lifestyle; green finance, and just transformation. Through collaboration across ministries and public and private sectors, all of the above are being implemented by various ministries according to the directions specified in the Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions. Approximately 50 meetings were also held to discuss and exchange opinions with different fields. On 28 December 2022, the NDC announced the Action Plan of the 12 Key Strategies in Transformation Toward Net-Zero Emissions along with relevant ministries, signifying that Taiwan’s journey of transformation is well underway. Moreover, the Action Plan will also serve as the government’s foundation for initiating ongoing communication throughout society, continuously seeking better ways and putting them into practice.

Excerpt from Major Environmental Policies, December 2022