TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s energy issues involve more than debates over the merits of nuclear power, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said on Thursday (Aug. 8) after the meeting of a new national committee on climate change.
The National Climate Change Response Committee is a government-industry-academia collaboration, and will meet every quarter. It is one of three committees Lai committed to establishing while campaigning for president, alongside committees targeting health and defense.
Lai said environment minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) began the meeting by describing the impact of climate change on Taiwan, per CNA. This was followed by a speech from Taiwan Power Company Chair Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) on the transformation and challenges ahead for Taiwan’s energy supply.
“Taiwan must not only continue to promote energy transition, but also put into practice the twin green and digital transition, as well as a just transition,” Lai said after the meeting. “We aim to realize a net-zero pathway, build a sustainable green lifestyle and green finance, and enhance environmental resilience to foster a sustainable homeland,” he said.
Lai also stressed that the energy issue is not a simple question of being for or against nuclear power. He said every energy issue is a “complex multi-choice question” that involves many possible answers.
Lai added the government’s net-zero 2050 policy is “no longer just an idealistic proposal, but an inevitable future.”
“This path is extremely challenging, so we must face reality and rally the entire nation to strive together,” he said.
Deputy Secretary-General to the President Chang Tun-han (張惇涵) provided further information after the meeting, and said two consensuses were reached for energy policy. First there was an agreement that development of renewable energy is the “highest common factor,” Chang said.
He added many options for renewable energy were considered at the meeting, but there was no substantial discussion of the future of nuclear energy. Seeking to quash speculation that the meeting’s four hour run time suggested infighting took place, Chang said discussions were conducted in a positive atmosphere.
Chang said the second consensus reached during the meeting was a need for a platform to publicly share information regarding the government’s energy policies. This idea was proposed by committee member and SEMI Taiwan President Tsao Shih-lun (曹世綸), with the aim of building a social consensus around energy policy.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said the Cabinet will discuss this idea and develop a proposal for it before the committee’s next meeting.
In addition to energy, the general impacts of climate change on Taiwan were discussed. After the meeting, Lai said that over the past eight years the Democratic Progressive Party has been in power, Taiwan has experienced worsening droughts and flooding.
He said in this period disaster response centers targeting droughts or floods have been opened at least 19 times. He said this has caused a great impact on Taiwan, and pointed to losses from Typhoon Gaemi that struck Taiwan in July.
The former physician likened sudden natural disasters to an acute head cold, and climate change to a chronic disease. Whether an issue is acute or slowly develops, Taiwan’s government must take responsibility for strengthening Taiwan’s resilience and capacity for sustainable development, Lai said.
Lai is the co-convenor of the committee, alongside Cabinet Vice President Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), Academia Sinica President James C. Liao (廖俊智), and Pegatron Corporation Chair Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢).
