Article 11 of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act ( 溫室氣體減量及管理法 ) mandates setting phased goals for greenhouse gas emission control for five-year periods. Thus, the EPA has consulted with various central competent authorities, and after many discussions has formulated the Phase 1 Goals (draft). With measures starting from small reductions in the early stages to steeper reductions in later stages, the goal for 2020 greenhouse gas emissions is set at 260.717 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, 2% lower than the emission level in 2005, which is used as the baseline. The goals for the following phases are a 10% reduction from the baseline by 2025 and a 20% reduction by 2030. 

Relative emission contributions (see graph below), current emissions, reduction trends, and reduction potentials of the six sectors have been taken into account. The draft of the Phase 1 Goals clarifies each sector’s responsibilities and requires joint efforts on carbon reduction in addition to setting overall national emission targets. As the energy sector is likely to have increased emissions during the transitional period, it nonetheless needs to strive to reach its phased goals.

Meanwhile, the government has also mapped out complementary projects and measures to further cut emissions, for example in the EPA’s draft of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Action Plan ( 溫室氣體減量推動方案 ), on overall reductions. Also, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), Ministry of the Interior (MOI), and Council of Agriculture (COA) each proposed drafts for the Greenhouse Gas Emission Control Action Programs (溫室氣體排放管制行動方案 ) for their respective areas of responsibility, along with evaluation standards and more detailed targets for greenhouse gas emission control. Public opinion will be gathered concerning all the measures and programs above during the public hearings on phased control goals.

The EPA pointed out that after the draft goals are approved by the Executive Yuan, ministers are responsible for each sector’s emission reduction will be required to present annual implementation reports. Each department’s own progress on phased goals will be examined based on emission statistics and data, and those that fail to reach targets will be required to provide improvement plans. Combined with evaluations and modifications on a dynamic basis every five years, Taiwan is expected to phase-byphase meet its long-term greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and reach a minimum 50% reduction from 2005 emission levels by 2050.

The draft specifies Phase 1 goals, which stipulate the allowed maximum of total emissions of greenhouse gases, in carbon dioxide equivalents, from 2016 to 2020. The details include:

(1)National greenhouse gas emission control target: 1437.531 metric tonnes of CO2e

(2)Sector greenhouse gas emission control targets: 

1.Energy sector: 163.139 metric tonnes of CO2e

2.Manufacturing sector: 741.543 metric tonnes of CO2e

3.Transportation sector: 189.663 metric tonnes of CO2e

4.Residential and commercial sector: 298.845 metric tonnes of CO2

5.Agriculture sector: 26.187 metric tonnes of CO2e

6.Environmental sector: 18.154 metric tonnes of CO2e

(3)Target for greenhouse gas emissions factor for electricity (annual average): 0.517 kilograms.