A Tale of Two Green Cities: Kaohsiung and Katowice

Time for

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 II COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE Climate Change: Global Challenge Requiring Global Response

Dr. Lee Ying-yuan, Minister of the Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan, ROC (Taiwan)

ontinued growth in emissions of greenhouse gases around the world has caused abnormal C and extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, and catastrophic torrential rains. These events are no longer just abstract future scenarios; they are hap- pening today in all corners of the globe. Average temperatures in Taiwan in the past two years have been the highest in 100 years. Since 2017, rainfall has dropped markedly, affecting Taiwan’s hydroelectrici- ty generation. Indeed, these recent developments are having a considerable impact and pose a significant threat. Other parts of the world have witnessed similar trends. During the 2018 summer season, many countries across the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia, North America, and North Africa have experienced record- breaking heatwaves and deadly wildfires that seriously jeopardize human health, agriculture, natural ecosystems, and infrastructure. To further implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and achieve the goals outlined therein, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in addition to faithfully conducting important projects, consultations, and negotiations, has also invited parties from various fields to join the Talanoa Dialogue, so as to take full advantage of the collective wisdom of striving to increase the share of renewable sources in humankind in formulating workable solutions to climate overall energy generation to 20% by 2025, and raise change. the share of energy produced with natural gas up to As a member of the global village, and in line with the 50%. At the same time, Taiwan is gradually reducing its Paris Agreement, Taiwan has actively encouraged all reliance on coal, closing older coal facilities and stakeholders to do their part and strengthen efforts equipping the remaining ones with high-efficiency ultra- toward reducing carbon emissions. Taiwan has passed supercritical units that cause less pollution. The govern- the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act, ment is also investing in other equipment and technolo- under which five-year carbon reduction targets have gy that can help reduce pollution, offering subsidies to been formulated. Taiwan has also created the National encourage people to replace older vehicles as well as Climate Change Action Guidelines and implemented the promoting electric vehicles. Earlier in 2018, Taiwan’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Action Plan, which targets Air Pollution Control Act was amended, with stronger six major sectors: energy, manufacturing, transportation, measures to curtail air pollution and accelerate Taiwan’s residential and commercial development, agriculture, energy transition. and environmental management. By setting emission Taiwan’s energy policies are being promoted in con- caps, promoting green finance initiatives, cultivating sideration of four core aspects: energy security, green local talent pools and education, encouraging coopera- economy, environmental sustainability, and social fair- tion across central and local government agencies and ness. Furthermore, Taiwan is working on an energy trans- across industries, and involving the general public, formation white paper and encouraging public partic- Taiwan seeks to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by ipation and input during this process. It is also imple- 2050 to less than 50% of 2005 levels. menting key action plans under the Energy Development Almost 90% of Taiwan’s annual greenhouse gas emis- Guidelines, so as to make a decisive shift towards sus- sions come from fuel combustion. The government is tainable energy development.

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice III

The pursuit of economic growth often comes at the recycled. Taiwan is more than willing to share its tech- expense of environmental degradation and depletion of nology and experience with the international community. natural resources. According to research by the Global By advancing environmental sustainability, we can Footprint Network, human consumption of natural ensure that our planet remains as uniquely beautiful and resources is outpacing the ability of the planet’s ecosys- habitable as it has been more for millions of years. All coun- tems to regenerate resources by a factor of 1.7. In fact, tries and parties should take part in this common endeavor. in 2018, Earth Overshoot Day fell on August 1, which Having benefited tremendously from industrialization, was earlier than ever before. Taiwan is now fully committed to playing a key role in sav- In order to find a proper balance between economic ing the planet and its precious ecosystems. Taiwan is ready development and environmental protection, Taiwan is and willing to share its knowledge and experience in envi- promoting the circular economy as part of the Five Plus ronmental management, disaster prevention and warning Two Innovative Industries program. There is a wide- systems, energy efficiency enhancement technology, and spread international consensus that the circular economy application of innovative technology. plays a vital role in achieving the goals of the Paris Climate change is a matter of our planet’s survival, and Agreement. should not be reduced to a political issue. Taiwan has Taiwan has already made significant progress over the long been unfairly disregarded by and isolated from the past two decades in recycling and reusing resources. In United Nations system. This has not discouraged us. On fact, in 2017, Taiwan’s resource recovery rate was the contrary, we have doubled our efforts based on our 52.5%, a ratio surpassed only by Germany and Austria. belief in the Confucian saying that “a man of morality will The recycling rate of plastic bottles in Taiwan in 2017 never live in solitude; he will always attract companions.” was 95%. And during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, about In a professional, pragmatic, and constructive manner, half of the 32 teams in the tournament wore jerseys pro- Taiwan will seek meaningful participation in international duced with recycled bottles from Taiwan. organizations and events, and fulfill its responsibilities as Looking to the future, Taiwan will continue to strength- a member of the international community. Let Taiwan join en technological R&D and innovation, so as to bolster the world, and let the world embrace Taiwan. recycling while building integrated industrial value chains. The goal is to achieve a situation in which there For more information visit: www.epa.gov.tw is zero waste and everything that can be recycled is

Special report on climate change for COP24 in Katowice, Poland

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 IV COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE One of the World Leaders of Climate Action Henryk Kowalczyk, Minister of Environmental Protection, talks to the Voice:

The COP19 summit was held in 2013 last 30 years, Poland reduced CO2 in Warsaw, COP24 will be held in emissions from all sectors by around 30 Katowice: what has been achieved in percent, accompanied by simultaneous Poland in the field of environmental dynamic economic growth. Poland still protection during the time between invests intensively in the improvement of those meetings? energy efficiency and development of Since the COP19 summit both Poland the renewable energy industry, remain- and the global climate policy have ing also an active country on the EU undergone a significant transformation forum where it works on the develop- due to the adoption of the Paris ment of the EU climate and environmen- nous coal and lignite, where these fuels Agreement at COP21 in Paris, where tal policies. constitute natural resources of the coun- the mechanism of action against climate What programme do Poland’s repre- try and the guarantee of energy security change was adopted - with actions sentatives intend to present at the summit and security of supply in the world determined at the national level. in Katowice? which is becoming more and more ener- [Governments of states participating in You should clearly differentiate gy-dependent. The share of coal in the the summit decided to declare their con- between COP Presidency which will be energy mix is decreasing, however it still tributions every 5 years, so that more held by Poland this year and the repre- provides over 80% of the generated ambitious goals may be set - the Voice]. sentation of Poland’s interests. In order to energy. Poland is diversifying its energy Poland as a European Union member ensure credibility and effectiveness of the mix, but this process is of long-term state adopted commitments to partic- international climate negotiation process, nature. ipate in the reduction of greenhouse the Presidency keeping neutrality is of The use of own resources for the pro- gasses emitted to the atmosphere (40% key importance, as it offers all parties an duction of electricity also constitutes a reduction by 2030), which is reflected in opportunity to reach a compromise and guarantor of Poland’s energy security. the adopted EU legislation. Poland aims develop the Katowice package imple- This also means that renewable energy to fulfil its undertakings through actions menting the Paris Agreement, which at sources are used appropriately (biomass, pursued in different sectors. Moreover, it the same time will constitute the best geothermal energy, wind, water and has unvaryingly upheld the position that reflection of the needs of all parties. solar power). Poland intends to continue for an effective implementation of com- Poland aims to adopt a complex investing in RES, having certain develop- mitments adopted in the Paris Katowice package which will allow for ment potential, mainly with regard to Agreement, it is necessary for all coun- all sectors of greenhouse gas emissions, geothermal and water power. Polish tries to undertake actions, and actions of as well as take the role of absorption of economy is developing, which leads to the most developed countries should cor- greenhouse gases by forests and land an increased demand for electrical ener- respond to the level of the EU’s ambi- into consideration. Poland wants to point gy and the need to cover this demand in tions. It is worth emphasising that from out that it is necessary to conduct a fair a cost-effective way, while simultaneous- December 2013 until June 2018 the transformation, protecting jobs in the ly ensuring the fulfilment of environmental National Fund for Environmental adoption of climate change actions by goals, including the reduction of green- Protection and Water Management paid all states. Moreover, Poland has empha- house gases. out PLN 4.4 billion for climate and sised the need to face greenhouse gas Does Poland cooperate with countries atmosphere protection. These funds were emissions in all sectors, thus sustainable from South-Eastern Asia with regard to used to implement a significant number transport, and in particular electromobili- environmental protection? of investments connected directly or indi- ty, will constitute one of the leading sub- The Ministry of Environmental Protection rectly to climate protection. jects at COP24. is engaged in bilateral cooperation with Poland is hosting COP for the third time The Polish economy is still based on selected countries from South-Eastern Asia, - does this mean that it aspires to the coal as the basic energy resource; in the such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and role of one of the leading global play- following decades, will this situation Singapore. The cooperation with partners ers in the battle for a "green planet" change? Will Poland look for alternative from the region is also conducted under Poland remains one of the world lead- solutions (renewable energy, nuclear tech- multilateral agreements and conventions ers of climate action. The COP24 presi- nology), or focus on the implementation of which Poland is a party to. dency will be Poland’s fourth, whereas “clean” technologies based on coal? For more information visit: the December summit in Katowice will Polish economy depends on energy www.mos.gov.pl be the third one hosted by Poland. In the generated with the use of hard bitumi-

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice V

The plan for the COP24 is to adopt a full package imple- COP24 in Katowice menting the Paris Agreement. The Agreement is the first international agreement in history, which compels all countries in the world to take action on climate protection. The implementation The 24th session of the Conference of package will allow for the implementation of the Agreement in the Parties to the UN Framework practice. It will thus set global climate and energy policy for the coming years. Convention on Climate Change (COP24), The Paris Agreement does not provide for decarbonisation, the 14th session of the Meeting of the but for so-called climate neutrality. This is a return to climate policy which is expected to protect the climate and, at same time, Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP14) enable the preservation of the specificity of national economies and the 1st Conference of the Parties - this is particularly important for Poland. Poland’s objective is to maintain the global character of the serving as the meeting of the Parties to Paris Agreement, the voluntary choice of the method for limiting the Paris Agreement will be held in emissions, as well as the shaping of climate and energy policies Katowice from 3 to 14 December. depending on the possibilities and specific conditions in terms of raw materials and geography (using own natural resources). United Nations states must act together in order to halt the capital of Silesia will be visited by nearly dangerous climate change. However, these efforts must be tai- 30,000 representatives of all the Parties to the lored to the capabilities of the individual countries. They should The Convention, namely, 196 countries and the EU ensure a balance in commitments between states in a different to decide on further action to protect the climate and the opera- condition and at different stages of development. tion of the Convention. COP24 will be attended by heads of Poland would like to be an ambassador of the sustainable state, prime ministers, representatives of governments, diplomacy approach to climate change. It would like to represent not only and non-governmental organisations, scientists, activists, busi- its own interests, but also those of the region and to defend the ness representatives and other stakeholders interested in issues principle of voluntary action as the foundation of democracy and related to the climate. The COP24 Conference will be accom- the European community. panied by scientific, social, as well as commercial events serving as a forum for presentation and exchange of ideas, innova- For more information visit: www.cop24.gov.pl tions, strategies and solutions to combat global warming.

Special report on climate change for COP24 in Katowice, Poland

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 VI COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE Katowice – a City of Metamorphoses

Pond Valley (Dolina Trzech Stawów) The landscape of Katowice which, from a post-industri- is a gem – active people can go al city has become a dynamic centre of a metropolis rollerblading on a special track – one with a population of over two million enrapturing anyone of the first in the region. You can also go kayaking in Katowice, try who has not seen it for a long time. The city is com- angling, or use the extensive sports pletely different today than it was 10 years ago. facilities currently expanded to include three swimming pools with sports halls. Active leisure enthusiasts the Culture Zone, on land Centre (MCK) was established – a may go running or cycling in parks, previously occupied by a meeting place for business, science, forests and around lakes which occu- In coal mine, magnificent culture and sport. The extensive green py half of the city area. Silesia Museum was established, areas of the city promote sports activ- At the same time, Katowice with its historic Warszawa Mineshaft ity, and Spodek, MCK, or other facil- remembers about the provision of from which you can admire the ities host many interesting games. jobs and the housing policy. Only Katowice panorama, as well as the In Katowice first of all you should such actions may make the city the National Symphonic Orchestra of the get on a bicycle, and anyone can do right place to live. Polish Radio. Next to it, near this because the city has its own bicy- After the great metamorphosis, Spodek, the famous event and sports cle rental chain. This way you can the time has come for districts to hall, the International Congress see the varied cityscape. The Three change and for the transport system

International Congress Centre (MCK) VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice VII to undergo a great revolution. The developed support system. It is a municipal authorities place great truly European city in which moder- emphasis on the development of nity creatively refers to and merges sustainable transport, one that is with tradition. This is appreciated friendly for pedestrians, drivers, by entrepreneurs who are happy to cyclists and people using public invest here. In its strategy, Katowice transport alike. Four passenger placed strong emphasis on new transfer centres are being built, and technologies and innovation both a gigantic redevelopment of two as regards attracting investors and junctions on national road No 81 is events. Thanks to 5 finals of the Intel under way. Additionally, every few Extreme Masters tournament, the months, new modern buses roll out city has become the global capital onto the roads, and recently over of eSport. 47 million was allocated to create An intelligent city must be first and an Intelligent Transport foremost attractive for its inhabi- Management System. City bike sta- tants, improve the quality of life, tions have appeared in many dis- and at the same time continue tricts, and every year extra kilome- changing, following modern trends. tres of cycle paths are built. As a In the recent years, Katowice has Marcin Krupa City Mayor of Katowice result of all this, travel around been consistently becoming Katowice will eventually be faster SMART. Katowice is the host of the United and more comfortable. In practice, During the climate summit, Nations Climate Change Conference – smoothly flowing traffic means time Katowice and the entire metropolis COP24 – the most important global and fuel savings as well as reduced will play host to around 30,000 forum devoted to the global climate pol- exhaust fumes and noise emissions. participants from nearly 200 coun- icy of key importance for the entire In 2015-2018, a total of PLN 600 tries. The role of the host of COP24 world. The Climate Change million was acquired for the invest- is an excellent opportunity for global Conference organised in Katowice, in ments mentioned above. promotion of the city and to show the heart of the metropolis, will consti- Business tourism has become a how much it has changed recently. tute an excellent opportunity to present significant product offered by the The city will be visited by key glob- shared efforts undertaken for climate city. Over 826,000 conference al decision-makers – presidents, protection and the successes already and trade fair visitors came to prime ministers, diplomats and sci- achieved in this area. I am convinced Katowice in 2017, 64,000 more entists, who will debate in the that the organisation of the summit will than the year before. This means International Congress Centre, on the one had constitute a global pro- tangible profits for the city and its Spodek and Culture Zone. It will be motion of the city, and on the other inhabitants. The hotel and confer- Katowice’s task to ensure efficient hand – an opportunity to undertake ence base is developing, catering transport. For this purpose among important ecological subjects with resi- companies, restaurant owners, taxi other things a mobile phone appli- dents. We want to increase the resi- drivers or local shopkeepers are all cation will be created. A website dents’ awareness with regard to cli- generating income. On average, a devoted to COP24 has also been mate protection and ecologically conference participant staying in prepared. The summit participants responsible environment management. local accommodation leaves nearly will be able to take part in a number The UN Climate Summit is an excellent PLN 628 in Katowice, and one that of accompanying events, organised opportunity to show how much our city does not stay the night – PLN 141. in the debate zone and in the urban has changed in the recent years. What is important, many people space, or use thematic excursions coming to Katowice for business, on offer. They will have the hotel return happily for example to take and restaurant base at their dispos- KATOWICE – FACT SHEET the entire family to a concert at the al. Some of the restaurants will pre- Region: Silesia National Symphonic Orchestra of pare a special menu for the duration Area: 164,7 sq km the Polish Radio in one of the best of the conference. Delegates will Population: city – 297,000 • urban zone concert halls in the world, or to see receive gifts created by pupils of – 2,700,000 • Silesian metropolitan area one of the Katowice music festivals Katowice schools and gadgets pre- – 5,275,000 well known in Europe. pared for the conference. The whole metropolitan area is the 16th Katowice is a strong brand in the most economically powerful city by GDP eyes of entrepreneurs, composed of For more information visit: in the European Union with an output several factors: access to qualified www.cop24.katowice.eu amounting to USD114.5 billion personnel, excellent location and

Special report on climate change for COP24 in Katowice, Poland

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 VIII COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE Kaohsiung – a Green City Kaohsiung, a special municipality located in southern Taiwan, was once a center of heavy industry. But as the nation’s economy shifted toward cleaner, potential-laden sectors of the 21st century and beyond, the local government seized the opportunity to transform the metropolis into a hub of eco-friendly, green and sustainable living. Energy-saving, carbon reduction and circular developments are the top priorities in responding to global climate change and building a more livable and sustainable city.

Thinking Outside the Box, Green concerted efforts by the local government Economy on the Rise and citizenry to advancing the green econ- In order to achieve sustainability, the omy in the port metropolis. citizenry and public and private sectors were encouraged to get involved. Kaohsiung LOHAS Building Kaohsiung City Government introduced Evolution rolling-wave planning into its policymak- The Kaohsiung LOHAS Building policy ing, and was the first local government in was initiated in 2011 by the local gov- Taiwan to promote green financing for ernment. Over the past seven years, the the photovoltaic industry. Such an initiative has expanded to include an approach channeled investment into the array of measures like Certification renewable-energy industry and increased System for Kaohsiung LOHAS Building, the number of green rooftop installations. Regulations for Designing and Rewarding Since the introduction of green financing Kaohsiung LOHAS Building and Self- in 2013, emissions have fallen 3,840 met- Governance Articles for Kaohsiung’s ric tons annually - equivalent to the amount Green Building. of carbon dioxide absorbed by 10 Daan In 2015, Kaohsiung LOHAS Building Forest Parks in Taipei City over 12 months. 2.0 gave rise to the trend of designing Hsu Li-ming, acting mayor of Kaohsiung Kaohsiung is eliminating visually displeas- functional balconies for new architecture ing cement rooftops and replacing them projects in the city. The following year, KAOHSIUNG – FACT SHEET with colorful PV installations producing universal design principles were imple- Country: Taiwan clean energy and helping mitigate climate mented in Kaohsiung LOHAS Building Region: Southern Taiwan change. This achievement is testament to 2.5, featuring residences accessible to all Area: 2,952/sq km Population: 2,77 million Density: 940/sq km GDP per capita: USD 24,000 VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice IX age groups. The Kaohsiung LOHAS build- local government. The undertaking, which Solar Power Promotion Plan. Working ing policy is a benchmark in designing provided residents with a viable personal with the Water Resources Agency under sustainable architecture. transportation alternative to cars and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, scooters, was seen as instrumental in Kaohsiung set about installing floating Colorful, Dazzling Green Roofs improving air quality. Other efforts in this solar systems and maximizing use of pub- Green roofs are one of the most dis- regard include building more rental sta- lic space. Cian Fengzi Flood Detention tinctive characteristics of the Kaohsiung tions and paths, as well as increasing Pond, Dian-Bao-Chi Zone B Flood LOHAS building policy. The total cover- space for bike parking. Kaohsiung’s more Detention Basin and Yongan Flood age of green roofs in the city has reached than 926-kilometer cycle network, which Detention Pond were selected as appro- the size of 40 football fields over the past complements light-rail and metro services, priate sites. All three generate 15 million 4 years on the back of strong incentives connects multifunctional lanes, recreation- kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, suffi- offered by the local government. This al greenbelts and sightseeing routes. This cient to meet the demands of 4,200 number is growing by more than 33,058 helped the city win recognition eight households while reducing about 8,000 square meters each year. years ago as one of the most bike friend- tons of emissions - equivalent to the car- ly in Asia by CNN Travel. bon reduction of growing 275,000 trees. 180,000 Square Meters of As of 2017, the system boasted 450 In the past, detention ponds were only Vertical Forests stations with 3,800 bikes, while its annu- used for drainage system improvement In mitigating the impact of the scorch- al ridership exceeded 4 million. In addi- and flood prevention. The facilities have ing and long summer days in Kaohsiung, tion, air quality microsensing systems taken on a broader mission, serving as the city government elected to set the were installed at 50 stations, recording ecological water parks, green power depth of a balcony at 3 meters, 50 per- temperature and levels of humidity, car- plants and spaces for various outdoor cent more than the minimum set down bon dioxide, and PM2.5 and PM10. recreational activities during nonstorm under the national building regulations. seasons. This is complemented by a program Building a Circular Kaohsiung joined Germany-based rewarding those who help cool structures Light-Rail System ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability and save energy by potting flowers, Last September, Kaohsiung took anoth- in December 2006, making it Taiwan’s shrubs and trees on their balconies. To er step forward in the green stakes with first ICLEI member city. It has participated date, applications for the establishment of launch of the 22.1-kilometer, 37-station in international events and conferences, such green living spaces have been sub- circular light-rail system. First phase con- focusing on combating climate change. In mitted by more than 100 buildings and struction covered of 8.7 kilometers and 2015, Kaohsiung reached full compli- 300 houses. One after another, so-called encompassed Stations C1-C14. The sec- ance with the Compact of Mayors, com- vertical forests are springing up citywide. ond, which is in sync with progress on the mitting itself to reducing emissions and city’s metro extension project, is expected promoting a climate adaptation plan. The Kaohsiung LOHAS Building 3.0 - to be completed in 2019. city also vowed to advance policies in Evolution to All-Age Residence response to the Paris Agreement. Given Taiwan’s rapidly aging society, Adaptation Measures for Flood- Kaohsiung continues to evolve and is suc- Kaohsiung City Government introduced Prone Areas cessfully transforming from a center of an article to the Regulations for Designing As per central government policy, the heavy industry into a hub of eco-friendly, and Rewarding Kaohsiung LOHAS local government adopted the 2-year green and sustainable living. Building. The new addition required the creation of a 200-square-meter public lounge for seniors-related activities on every ten floors of a structure. This groundbreaking measure also called for the space to be equipped with bathrooms suitable for all ages. The idea was inspired by traditional Taiwan three- section compound building, allowing seniors living near the space to congre- gate and interact with neighbors in a pleasant setting. Expanding Bikeway Network and Promoting Low-Carbon Vehicles Taiwan’s first bicycle-sharing system was launched in March 2009 by the

Special report on climate change for COP24 in Katowice, Poland

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 X COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE Combating Climate Change: Taiwan Can Help Calling for Taiwan’s Professional, Pragmatic, and Constructive Participation in the UNFCCC

Foreword The 24th Session of the Conference of the Parties II. Taiwan needs to participate in (COP24) under the United Nations Framework Convention the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement. on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will take place in Taiwan’s exclusion contradicts the spirit Katowice, Poland this December. During the event, the of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. participants are expected to work out and adopt a pack- The UNFCCC preamble acknowledges that the global nature age of decisions to better ensure the full implementation of of climate change calls for the widest possible participation of all the Paris Agreement. This will help focus international countries in order to achieve an effective and appropriate efforts on mitigating and adapting to the impact of climate response. In addition, the Paris Agreement highlights the important change. concept of climate justice, calling on all states to take action to However, due to political constraints, Taiwan can only address climate change. It is unjust to keep Taiwan excluded from attend the COP sessions as an NGO observer. Being a the UNFCCC and leave the government to deal with the impact responsible stakeholder in the international community, of climate change on its own. Taiwan’s inclusion in UNFCCC ini- Taiwan will never let its exclusion become an excuse for tiatives would conform to the aims and spirit of the convention, as not partaking in global efforts to combat climate change. well as to the principles embodied in the UN Charter. Taiwan has set ambitious reduction targets Taiwan is vulnerable to climate change. for its greenhouse gas emissions. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events and rising In June 2015, Taiwan passed the Greenhouse Gas sea levels caused by global warming endanger Taiwan’s envi- Reduction and Management Act, setting five-year regula- ronment and survival. Taiwan’s average temperature in the past tory carbon reduction targets in the hope of reducing two years has been the highest in 100 years. Atypical heat waves Taiwan’s greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent of have been causing water shortages, damaging the economy, 2005 (base year) levels by 2050. It seeks to reduce threatening the people’s welfare, and restricting the generation of greenhouse gas emissions by two percent by 2020, 10 hydroelectric power. To make matters worse, just this August, sud- percent by 2025, and 20 percent by 2030. den torrential rains from a tropical depression caused severe To better control and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, flooding across southern Taiwan, seriously impacting people’s Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration created lives and damaging infrastructure and property. the National Climate Change Action Guidelines, Taiwan’s lack of access to UNFCCC meetings and mecha- Greenhouse Gas Reduction Action Plan, and Greenhouse nisms and exclusion from the international response framework Gas Emissions Control Action Program targeting six major have weakened its ability to formulate adaptation strategies in fields: energy, manufacturing, transportation, residential response to the challenges posed by global warming and climate and commercial buildings, agriculture, and environment change. There is an urgent need for Taiwan to be included in management. The initiatives, which are to be reviewed early warning systems for disasters, gain access to real-time infor- once every five years, facilitate cross-ministerial coopera- mation, and contribute more to global climate change adaptation tion within government. mechanisms. Taiwan has set the goal of having 20 percent of its energy come from renewable sources and 50 percent from Taiwan needs to mitigate the negative impact on low-carbon natural gas by 2025, thus lowering its energy its economy and trade. from coal-burning power plants to 30 percent of the total. One of the key elements to the implementation of the Paris Taiwan will continue to promote its energy restructuring in Agreement is the realization of both economic development and order to realize sustainable development. environment protection. Taiwan’s 5+2 Industrial Innovation plan In August 2018, Taiwan amended its Air Pollution includes measures to create a sustainable homeland through the Control Act to reduce air pollution and accelerate promotion of green energy and a circular economy for waste man- Taiwan’s energy transformation. It also seeks to further agement. The plan will help shift Taiwan’s industrial base from tra- restrict vehicle and factory emissions, improve air quality, ditional contract manufacturing to foster a high valued-added and and enhance the management of pollution sources and environmentally friendly economy. treatment of pollution. Taiwan’s exclusion from access to the UNFCCC climate Taiwan understands that the issues associated with cli- finance mechanism will make it difficult for Taiwan to offset the mate change are inextricably linked to the UN 2030 high economic costs of carbon reduction measures. This could Agenda for Sustainable Development, and is committed to seriously harm the competitive edge of Taiwan’s industries and dis- helping achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. courage them from helping the government develop a green In September 2017, Taiwan released its first Voluntary industrial structure, in order to aid the transformation of Taiwan National Review to document the concrete progress it has into a low-carbon society. Almost all World Trade Organization made to this end. (WTO) members are contracting parties to the UNFCCC and the

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 VOICE - CLIMATE CHANGE COP24 Climate Summit in Katowice XI

Paris Agreement. However, Taiwan, a WTO member, remains Moreover, starting next year, Taiwan and Belize will launch excluded. As WTO trade rules permit countries to impose tariffs the Urban Resilience and Disaster Prevention Project to help min- on imports due to environmental protection considerations, imize the impact of extreme weather by introducing modern Taiwan’s industries might be targeted as a result. Geographic Information System technologies that enhance Belize’s disaster management capabilities. As an important world economy, Taiwan should Taiwan, a leader in the field of seismic and maritime weath- contribute to the UNFCCC. er monitoring, has the highest concentration of monitoring sta- As the world’s 22nd largest economy, Taiwan plays a major tions of any nation, with around 800 currently in operation. role in both the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, Given the vulnerability of Pacific Island states to climate change, as well as the global economic and trade system. Like other coun- Taiwan offers training to their meteorological personnel and dis- tries, Taiwan has a responsibility to help mitigate the effects of cli- patches experts to improve their weather forecasting systems. mate change and, therefore, should not be excluded from the For example, Taiwan develop an early warning system for UNFCCC. Taiwan calls on the international community to support extreme weather events and earthquakes in Solomon Islands. the participation of its Environmental Protection Administration as The weather data collected through the system will also help a non-member government observer in the upcoming COP24 in Solomon Islands issue dengue fever alerts, which has drawn the Poland. attention from internationally community. III. Taiwan is ready to contribute to global efforts Multilateral cooperation helps promote green to combat climate change. technology and energy efficiency. Taiwan can be a constructive partner For instance, in cooperation with the European Bank for in addressing climate change. Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Taiwan’s International Taiwan is competitive on green technology. Many of our Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF) has con- advanced renewable energy products are exported to other coun- tributed US$80 million to the Green Energy Special Fund. It is tries. Taiwan has much to offer the UNFCCC, not just in terms of used to cofinance EBRD investment projects containing green technology, but also in ways of financial support and capacity energy components, such as LED street lights, smart meters, building. Taiwan’s experience with rapid economic development, solar-powered technologies, and public transportation and elec- industrialization, and environmental management would be tric systems. extremely valuable to other island states and developing countries Through such cooperation, Taiwan has supported the facing similar challenges associated with climate change. By Moldova Chisinau Urban Road Project to modernize Chisinau’s drawing on Taiwan’s advanced technologies and experience, street lighting system. It will replace traditional mercury lamps these countries could modernize their economies, which minimiz- with modern LED ones, improving energy efficiency by up to 70 ing harm to the environment. percent. TaiwanICDF’s contributions have also supported the Bosnia Taiwanese is willing to share its experience and and Herzegovina Elektrokrajina Power Distribution Upgrade technology with other countries. Project. This initiative should reduce their carbon dioxide emis- Over the decades, Taiwan has undertaken a wide array of pro- sions by 63,000 tons and save 80 GWh of electricity per year jects in helping developing countries mitigate and adapt to the by introducing smart metering technology and upgrading the impacts of climate change. These include food and energy secu- electricity distribution system. rity, renewable energy, green technology, LED street lighting, bio- Another cofinanced project is the Jordan Greater Amman diversity conservation, natural disaster management, post-disaster Municipality Solid Waste Project, which has introduced gas col- reconstruction, reforestation, environmental protection, water lection technology to Jordan. The landfill gas-generated power resource management, drought relief, and etc. will be connected to the national grid, helping the country For example, Taiwan has sponsored the Enhancing Home reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 150,000 tons annually, Energy Efficiency and Promoting Renewable Energy Project in the as well as its reliance on fossil fuel imports. Marshall Islands. This significant climate change mitigation project is anticipated to help the Marshall Islands reduce its carbon diox- Conclusion ide emissions by 992 tons annually. In May 2017, United Nations Secretary-General António In the Caribbean, Taiwan’s modern agricultural techniques Guterres said, “The sustainability train has left the station. Get have helped countries adapt to climate change. For instance, on board or get left behind,” urging the world to rally behind Taiwan has worked with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the landmark Paris Agreement. Taiwan, like other countries, implement the Strengthening Farmers’ Organizations and should be afforded the opportunity to participate in global Improving Fruit and Vegetable Production Technology projects. mechanisms, negotiations, and activities that promote the imple- With Saint Christopher and Nevis, we have worked on the mentation of the Paris Agreement. Therefore, we call on all par- Enhancing Agriculture Adaptive Capacity to Climate Variability ties to look beyond political considerations and support Project. Both partner countries have been able to strengthen their Taiwan’s professional, pragmatic and constructive participation ability to respond to natural disasters and improve the sustainabil- in the UNFCCC. Let Taiwan help in global efforts to combat cli- ity of natural resources. mate change.

The Warsaw Voice extends a special thanks to Taipei Representative Office in Poland for its assistance in preparing of the climate change section.

This is the reprint of The Warsaw Voice magazine special section, issue Autumn 2018 COP24 ok.pdf 1 2018/11/1 上午10:46

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