A European Parliament committee last month sent a letter to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) calling for Taiwan’s inclusion in the group, the Paris Agreement and related mechanisms.
The letter, dated Oct. 27 and addressed to UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, was signed by 10 members of the parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
As Taiwan is not an official member of the UN, only non-governmental organizations are allowed to represent Taiwan at its meetings, including the UNFCCC’s COP27 climate summit, which is taking place in Egypt until Friday next week.
Photo: AP
Member of the European Parliament Liudas Mazylis shared the letter on social media during the opening of the summit on Sunday.
In the letter, the lawmakers highlight Taiwan’s “30 years of pragmatic and constructive contributions” to combating climate change.
They wrote that Taiwan has a crucial role in the effort to decarbonize supply chains due to its information and communications technology and semiconductor industries, with 20 major firms being members of the RE100 initiative.
Photo: Screengrab from EP member Liudas Mažylis' Facebook
Eight Taiwanese tech companies, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), have created the Taiwan Climate Partnership to lead the tech industry toward a low-carbon future, the letter says.
“This demonstrates Taiwanese enterprises’ ambitious leadership in advancing the goal of achieving a sustainable economy in the Indo-Pacific region,” it says.
The lawmakers also refer to the government’s goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and its “ambitious” intermediary targets, including a complete transition to electric vehicles by 2040 and 60 percent renewable energy by 2050.
The letter highlights Taiwan’s global contributions to climate efforts by assisting its allies and developing nations to build capacity to address climate challenges.
It particularly mentions initiatives in Belize, the Marshall Islands and Saint Kitts and Nevis, as well as cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to implement green financing throughout eastern Europe and central Asia.
“Taiwan stands jointly with other nations in facing the immense impact caused by extreme weather events,” the letter says, adding that it has contributed a lot toward building a “net zero world.”
“Facing unprecedented climate disasters, the international community should put aside political considerations and turn challenges into new opportunities so as to protect and uphold the common fate of humanity,” it says.
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