Taiwan's Participation in International Environmental Affairs

Taking stock of the strengths and weaknesses in the field of environmental protection across various nations worldwide, there exist valuable insights and references for Taiwan's environmental conservation efforts. The Ministry of Environment (MOENV) thus actively engages in international environmental affairs, facilitating the estab-lishment of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with other countries. Through ave-nues such as personnel exchanges, technology transfer, collaborative research, and more, the MOENV seeks to enhance the robustness of Taiwan's national environmen-tal framework, establish comprehensive environmental regulations, transfer envi-ronmental technologies, and consequently, share our nation's experience in manag-ing regulatory frameworks and technical expertise, and aid the expansion of our do-mestic environmental industry into overseas markets.

Taiwan-US Collaboration and the IEP

In 1993, the Taiwan Ministry of Environment (then the Environmental Protection Ad-ministration, or EPA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) signed the Taiwan-U.S. Environmental Protection Technical Cooperation Agreement.

Under the agreement, Implementing Arrangements for cooperation projects are planned every two to three years. During the early phase of the collaboration, coop-eration projects mainly focused on capacity building for Taiwan. However, in more recent years, bilateral cooperation has shifted to the establishment of regional or global environmental protection capacity by sharing Taiwan's experiences with the global community. Today, the Taiwan-U.S. collaboration has grown into a 30-year strong partnership between the two countries.

Since 2014, our nation has collaborated with the United States Environmental Protec-tion Agency (EPA) to drive the International Environmental Partnership (IEP), estab-lishing an international platform for the exchange of environmental management practices and green technology. Over the years, we have organized more than 120 activities, with participation from environmental institutions and organizations from over 70 countries across six continents, involving more than 900 foreign officials, ex-perts, and scholars. These activities have taken place in countries such as the United States, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia. The IEP has ad-vanced specific project initiatives, including the Asia-Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network (APMMN), the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP), and the International E-waste Management Network (IEMN), accumulating and building up-on Taiwan's experience and capabilities in regional environmental services and ex-changes, and gradually earning recognition from the international community.

In 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts persisted through virtual and hybrid conference formats to continue propelling the IEP and bilateral environmental coop-eration. These endeavors encompassed various initiatives, including regional video conferences for the International E-waste Management Network (IEMN), expansion of monitoring points within the Asia-Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network (APMMN), and technical case exchanges related to soil and water technologies.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Taiwan-U.S. environmental cooperation in 2023, the MOENV organized a celebration event that brought U.S. EPA Assistant Ad-ministrator Jane Nishida to Taiwan to witness the inauguration of the MOENV, re-structured from the EPA. Government agencies, implementation partners, and repre-sentatives of partner countries in Taiwan were invited to take part in the celebration, which featured a 30th anniversary video and an exhibition of significant milestones and achievements in Taiwan-U.S. collaboration.

In 2025, Taiwan-U.S. environmental cooperation and the IEP focused on environmental education, the circular economy, and capacity building for transboundary monitoring.

In terms of environmental education, the Global Environmental Education Partnership held a meeting in Taipei, where 37 advisors from 15 countries discussed strategies for the next decade and initiated preliminary planning for the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Tbilisi Declaration in 2027, showcasing Taiwan's achievements. The 10th edition of the EE 30 Under 30 program selected 30 young leaders from 21 countries.

Regarding the circular economy, the annual meeting of the International E-Waste Management Network took place in Brazil in mid-September. The event featured discussions on topics including AI-automated sorting technologies, the implementation of Digital Product Passports, lithium battery management and recycling, and Extended Producer Responsibility policy roundtables. Meanwhile, the 14th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network (APMMN) shared its monitoring data to serve as a reference for evaluating the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Additionally, an atmospheric mercury sampling training workshop provided instructions on atmospheric wet deposition monitoring, introduced passive atmospheric mercury sampling methods, and demonstrated unmanned aerial vehicle applications, helping partner nations exchange knowledge and learn new techniques.

Furthermore, the 2025 Taiwan-U.S. International Workshop on Soil and Groundwater Technical Exchange: Emerging Contaminants and Remediation Practices focused on analytical methods, background level studies, and remediation technologies for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—a topic of major current concern—attracting over 200 participants from domestic and international academic, governmental, and industrial sectors both in person and online.

Taiwan-Israel Collaboration

In 2013, Taiwan and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Environmen-tal Protection. In 2023, a delegation from the MOENV traveled to Israel to conduct a technical study on low-carbon and sustainable urban governance, and to exchange information on the promotion of public-private sector environmental governance in the areas of climate change adaptation, soil and water conservation and water re-sources, smart cities, and resource recycling. Senior officials from the environmental departments of both sides also held a bilateral video conference in September of the same year to promote future cooperation in areas concerning climate change and resource recycling.

Taiwan-Japan Cooperation

In the year 2019, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association and the Public Welfare Foundation Japan-Taiwan Ex-change Association, facilitating collaboration in environmental protection. The scope of cooperation spans domains such as environmental education, environmental im-pact assessment, air quality control and monitoring, marine pollution prevention and control, waste management (including resource recycling), and climate change miti-gation and adaptation. As part of this engagement, periodic "Taiwan-Japan Environ-mental Meetings" are convened, alternating between the two sides, enhancing the exchange of information, experiences, and perspectives.

On December 10, 2025, Taiwan and Japan signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Eco-Labeling Cooperation in Tokyo, which was witnessed by Deputy Minister Yein-Rui Hsieh of Taiwan's Ministry of Environment. The agreement has strengthened institutional linkages between Taiwan's Green Mark and Japan's Eco Mark.

The cooperation primarily focuses on "information technology products" and "imaging equipment," jointly driven by the competent authorities of both sides, the Japan Environment Association, and Taiwanese certification bodies. Key initiatives include jointly reviewing standards and verification methods, exchanging technical information and certification experience, holding regular working meetings to deliberate standard harmonization and mutual recognition, issuing notifications and impact assessments for regulatory amendments, and gradually expanding to other product categories based on performance outcomes.

Overall, this achievement reactivated the cooperation mechanism paused since 2004, laying an institutional foundation for mutual recognition and green trade, while enhancing the cross-border circulation of green products and the promotion efficiency of green procurement.

Cooperation with Europe

Since 2006, the Taiwan MOENV has been sending representatives to participate in the European Commission's "National Expert Professional Training Program." To date, we have had nine members officially recognized by the European side. Through this program, we gain practical insights into the policies and operational methods of the European Commission, align our environmental protection policies with international standards, enhance our environmental expertise, and deepen the cooperative rela-tionship between Taiwan and the European Union.

New Southbound Policy Countries

In September of 2021, the Executive Yuan approved the "Globalization Promotion Plan for the Engineering Industry (Policy White Paper) Phase 3," with the MOENV being responsible for overseas expansion of the environmental protection industry.

Since 2022, the MOENV has organized exchange visits and industry briefings under the New Southbound Policy, inviting key representatives based in Taiwan and interna-tional students to participate. These activities have included site visits to recycling facilities, anaerobic digestion plants, and waste-to-energy facilities, as well as infor-mation sessions on human resources and subsidies for overseas investment.

The Ministry has also organized cooperation forums and green product design work-shops with the Philippines, facilitating exchanges on extended producer responsibility, waste electrical and electronic equipment, and circular economy practices, along with technical site visits. In Thailand, the Ministry has held green sustainability fo-rums in conjunction with Taiwan Expo, arranged meetings with government agencies, industry associations, and businesses, and conducted site visits to promote business matchmaking and the international expansion of Taiwan's environmental protection industry.

Taiwan–Paraguay Exchange Activities

On October 1, 2025, Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment and Paraguay’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development signed an MOU on Cooperation under the Paris Agreement, launching a carbon credit pilot project. Taiwan also plans to assist Paraguay in establishing a digital carbon trading registry to ensure that International-ly Transferred Mitigation Outcomes can contribute to the achievement of Taiwan’s Nationally Determined Contribution.

In November 2025, Taiwan sent a delegation to Paraguay for a working meeting, dur-ing which the two sides designated points of contact for three working groups cover-ing climate governance, circular economy, and environmental governance. The Tai-wanese delegation also visited local recycling and waste treatment operators. In De-cember, Taiwan completed an inter-ministerial review of the division of responsibili-ties for related cooperation.

The two sides are also jointly advancing the 12 Taiwan–Paraguay Environmental Gov-ernance Action Plans, covering regular communication, reciprocal ministerial visits, exchanges among government officials and youth, talent development through spe-cialized master’s programs, IoT-based air quality sensing, mercury monitoring, agri-cultural and livestock waste resource recovery, plastics and ICT equipment recycling, applications of LEAP and artificial intelligence, and research on green technology trends. These efforts have laid the groundwork for the launch of further cooperation in 2026.

Pacific Countries

In order to deepen cooperation on environmental protection in the Pacific Islands, the MOENV collaborated with the International Cooperation and Development Founda-tion (ICDF) and hosted the 2023 Workshop on Waste Management.

The workshop comprised a three-day course focusing on marine waste management, with speakers from the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) and the U.S. EPA. Workshop participants included government officials and private sector members from the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Furthermore in 2023, the MOENV participated in the Pacific Islands Envi-ronmental Conference held in Palau, where it shared many achievements of the IEP (e.g., the Asia-Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network, the International E-waste Man-agement Network) in order to promote expansion of environmental exchanges with the Pacific islands, and encourage environmental protection in accordance with UN SDG 17 (establishing multilateral partnerships and promote a vision of sustainability).

Other International Organizations

At the same time, the MOENV actively engages in environmental protection-related affairs within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the World Trade Organi-zation (WTO), and other international organizations. By staying informed about glob-al environmental trends, we proactively formulate responsive strategies, fulfilling our responsibility and commitment as a member of the global community.

Youth Overseas Dream Program

In support of the Ministry of Education’s Youth Overseas Dream Fund Program, the MOENV organized six overseas programs in 2026, selecting 32 young participants for overseas internships and international exchanges in Germany, Japan, the United States, Singapore, the Netherlands, Paraguay, and other destinations. The programs covered topics including environmental governance, chemicals management, re-source circulation, and international environmental cooperation.

To help participants better understand Taiwan’s environmental policies and interna-tional cooperation priorities, the MOENV organized a pre-departure briefing session, bringing together relevant agencies and units to provide policy information and prep-aration for international exchanges. Through overseas internships and international engagement, the program aims to deepen participants’ understanding of environ-mental issues, broaden their international perspectives, and provide practical experi-ence in environmental governance and international cooperation.