The Ministry of Environment held a public hearing on the "Phase Three Greenhouse Gas Periodic Regulatory Goals (the bill)" on Feb. 7 at the conference hall of its rear building. Following the announcement of the event, there was an enthusiastic response, with nearly 800 participants attending either in person or online. The ministry collected feedback through the Climate Change Information Disclosure Platform. The ministry and six key sectors reported on the bill for phase three goals and opened the floor for public commentary.

According to the Ministry of Environment, the draft phase three goals were announced on Dec. 30, 2024, increasing Taiwan’s 2030 greenhouse gas net emission reduction target from the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target set in 2022, which aimed for a 24±1% reduction from 2005 levels, to 28±2%. This ambitious goal places Taiwan second only to Japan among its neighboring countries. The bill also sets a phased electricity emission coefficient target of 0.319 kg CO₂e/kWh by 2030 (a reduction of approximately 35% from current levels) and outlines sectoral regulatory goals for the energy, manufacturing, residential and commercial, transportation, agriculture, and environmental sectors.

Data compilation phase: The National Development Council provided estimated annual GDP growth rates by industry and national population projections from 2023 to 2030. Based on these figures, the six key emission sectors conducted forecasts of greenhouse gas emission trends and scenario analyses, as required by Article 5 of the "Climate Change Response Act" enforcement rules. The Ministry of Environment then consolidated these assessments.

Expert consultation phase: Pursuant to Article 10 of the "Climate Change Response Act," the ministry formed a technical advisory group comprising scholars and experts specializing in climate change, energy, and economics or with practical experience. The group held two meetings in 2024, the minutes of which, along with sectoral reports, have been published on the ministry’s "New 2030 National Carbon Reduction Goal" webpage. The reports detail four analytical steps, including the six sectors’ baseline scenario analysis (BAU); reduction scenarios, contributions, and costs; energy demand projections under reduction scenarios; and projected greenhouse gas emissions trends by sector.

Interministerial negotiation phase: The scientific forecasts from the six key sectors initially fell short of the 24±1% 2030 NDC target. Consequently, the issue was referred to the Net-Zero Task Force of the National Council for Sustainable Development for cross-agency coordination. Using a "top-down" approach, the Ministry of Environment estimated the maximum feasible carbon reduction potential for 2030 based on Taiwan’s "2050 Net-Zero Roadmap and Strategy Overview" and 12 key net-zero strategies. Meanwhile, each sector refined its strategic actions using a "bottom-up" method. The Net-Zero Task Force then focused on identifying flagship carbon reduction projects to further enhance reduction efforts. This process ultimately led to the draft of phase three goals, now open for public consultation.

The Ministry of Environment encourages public participation through the Climate Change Information Disclosure Platform (https://www.cca.gov.tw/info/) and the "New 2030 National Carbon Reduction Goal" webpage (https://www.cca.gov.tw/affairs/carbon-reduction-targets/2367.html). Comments on the draft targets are being collected until Feb. 10, 2025. Following the public hearing, all meeting records and written or online submissions will be reviewed and responded to by relevant ministries. These responses will be published within 30 days on the aforementioned websites and submitted to the Executive Yuan for approval. Additionally, the six key sectors are preparing to launch the drafting and public hearing processes for the Phase Three Greenhouse Gas Reduction Action Plan, further expanding opportunities for public engagement.