Minister of Environment Shieu Fuh-sheng (薛富盛) has arrived in Dubai for the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28), the Ministry of Environment announced on Wednesday.
The minister and other government officials arrived in Dubai for the two-week COP28 meeting that began last week, the ministry said in a news release, adding that although Taiwan is not a UN member, it has participated in meetings through non-governmental organizations and research institutions.
On Saturday last week, the Industrial Technology Research Institute cohosted a side event titled, “Enhancing Ambitions with international cooperation towards a successful 2050 net zero transformation” with the Marshall Islands; on Monday, the Taiwan Research Institute (TRI) co-organized another side event, “Cross-level governance and solutions for global net zero transition,” with Belize; and “Building climate-resilient agri-food systems in vulnerable countries with indigenous knowledge” was held on Wednesday by Palau and Taiwan’s Mom Loves Taiwan Association.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan would show to international partners “our promise to reach climate goals with meaningful contributions and showcase our resolution to pursue efforts to limit the average global temperature rise [from pre-industrial levels] to 1.5°C,” the ministry cited the minister as saying.
Shieu told reporters in Dubai that Taiwan has recently made several achievements to meet climate change challenges, including the nation’s net zero emissions goal in the Climate Change Response Act (氣候變遷因應法) passed earlier this year, which shows “Taiwan’s determination to reach net zero.”
Asked whether Taiwan should set more ambitious targets after this year’s COP began with calls for accelerated action to combat the escalating climate crisis, Shieu said considering that nearly 120 countries had announced a commitment to work together to triple the world’s installed renewable energy generation capacity at COP28, “Taiwan’s roadmap for 2050 net zero goal is on track.”
“Taiwan’s renewable energy capacity has hit 10 percent of its total this year, and the goal for 2050 is 30 percent,” which aligns with COP28 targets, Shieu said.
In March last year, the administration published “Taiwan’s pathway to net zero emissions in 2050,” providing the action pathway to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 by promoting technology R&D and innovation to help industry undergo a green transition, the National Development Council said.
Regarding Taiwan’s decarbonization effort, the minister said he is optimistic because “technologies will continue advancing,” and because the government’s plan employs a wide range of renewable energy, such as geothermal energy, biomass, marine energy and hydrogen.
Academia Sinica and Taiwan Power Co have also recently developed a new technological option that can remove the carbon in natural gas and only burn the hydrogen to create zero-carbon electricity, he added.
The minister also brought up a declaration made by more than 20 countries to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
Taiwan would have to overcome three challenges before it continues developing nuclear energy, which are safety issues, the handling of the nuclear waste and how to reach a consensus on where to store it, Shieu said.
“When you can’t solve the problem [of where to place the waste], nuclear power is a pseudo-issue,” he added.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
DIVA-READY: The city’s deadline for the repairs is one day before pop star Jody Chiang is to perform at the Taipei Dome for the city’s Double Ten National Day celebrations The Taipei City Government has asked Farglory Group (遠雄集團) to repair serious water leaks in the Taipei Dome before Friday next week, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said yesterday, following complaints that many areas at the stadium were leaking during two baseball games over the weekend. The dome on Saturday and Sunday hosted two games in tribute to CTBC Brothers’ star Chou Szu-chi (周思齊) ahead of his retirement from the CPBL. The games each attracted about 40,000 people, filling the stadium to capacity. However, amid heavy rain, many people reported water leaking on some seats, at the entrance and exit areas, and the