Taiwan has achieved meaningful participation at the recently concluded UN climate conference in Morocco, holding talks with more than 35 nations on global climate issues even though it is not a member of the international organization, an Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) official said on Saturday.
Exchanges with other nations during the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) in Marrakesh, which concluded on Friday, were smooth and free from Beijing’s intervention, said Chien Huei-chen (簡慧貞), executive director of the EPA’s Office of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Management.
Chien said 12 of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies also spoke out for the nation during the conference, in which Taiwan joined activities on the sidelines.
“We participated in the event through a ‘technical approach,’” Chien said, adding that the results were more fruitful than had been anticipated.
The talks with other nations generated concrete and sustainable measures, Chien said.
They included a joint calculation mechanism for carbon dioxide emissions that could be verified by third parties, she said.
In addition, Taiwan Power Co, CPC Corp, Taiwan and China Steel Corp have participated in more activities at this conference than in previous years, which Chien said might improve their ability to adapt to climate change.
Despite not being a UN member, Taiwan has endeavored to make substantial contributions on the international platform to help combat climate change.
Prior to the nations’s attendance at the COP22 as a non-governmental observer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the government’s stance that the battle against climate change concerns the survival of the entire human population, which is why Taiwan should not be excluded from international efforts.
The ministry said that Taipei, as an integral partner in the global community’s fight against climate change, has demonstrated its efforts and determination to join the convention through concrete actions, citing as examples the implementation of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act (溫室氣體減量及管理法) in June last year and the publication of Taiwan’s intended nationally determined contributions in September last year, stating the nation’s aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2050.
Additional reporting by staff writer
Taiwan is stepping up plans to create self-sufficient supply chains for combat drones and increase foreign orders from the US to counter China’s numerical superiority, a defense official said on Saturday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said the nation’s armed forces are in agreement with US Admiral Samuel Paparo’s assessment that Taiwan’s military must be prepared to turn the nation’s waters into a “hellscape” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reiterated the concept during a Congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. He first coined the term in a security conference last
Prosecutors today declined to say who was questioned regarding alleged forgery on petitions to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators, after Chinese-language media earlier reported that members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Youth League were brought in for questioning. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau confirmed that two people had been questioned, but did not disclose any further information about the ongoing investigation. KMT Youth League members Lee Hsiao-liang (李孝亮) and Liu Szu-yin (劉思吟) — who are leading the effort to recall DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) — both posted on Facebook saying: “I
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
RSS