“Climate Change, Taiwan Cares” Festival and Parade

2006 / 11 / 23

In the upcoming local Taipei City Council Elections on December 9, 2006 Taiwan Green Party has been stressing the importance of urban greening as well as reductions in CO2 emissions for improving quality-of-life for the city’s residents. Green Party Candidate (Taipei City Council, Xinyi District) Pan Han-Shen recently wrote a editorial article for the Taipei Times criticizing Taiwan’s half-hearted efforts at CO2 emissions reductions ("Time for action on CO2 emissions"). 

On November 4, 2006 Green Party in coalition with 15 other environmental groups held the "Climate Change, Taiwan Cares" Festival and Parade. More than 500 people gathered together at Daan Forest Park to demand action against from the Taiwanese Government on Climate Change. The festival featured skits, musical performances, information booths, and the sale of environmentally-friendly goods. Parade participants carried umbrellas as well as dressed as bicyclists, animals, and trees promoting environmentally-friendly lifestyles. More information about the event can be found at http://blog.yam.com/climatechange.

Global Climate Campaign (www.globalclimatecampaign.org) is an international campaign uniting people at the time of the annual UN Climate Change Talks to demand action from policymakers. Phil Thornhill, coordinator for the Global Campaign against Climate Change, says “The problem of Climate Change is a global problem that needs a global solution; it needs countries to act together in a way that they have never had before. That is why we need a global campaign, we need people from all around the world to create the groundswell of opinion to push global leaders to take the urgent action we need on climate change.” 

Taiwan, nowadays considered a developed industrialized economy, is a relatively large contributor to global CO2 emissions as a result of its rapid economic growth over the past 30 years. The country had the fastest growth rate in CO2 emissions from 1990-2004 and ranks 23rd overall. Per-capita the country generates more than 12 tons of CO2 per person annually and is responsible for nearly one-percent of the world’s total overall.

The coalition wants a serious commitment from the Taiwanese government to take steps against climate change. The groups are demanding that Taiwan implement Kyoto Protocol requirements stipulating that CO2 emissions be brought to 5% below year-1990 levels by 2012-2016, as well as set long-term targets for CO2 emissions at 50% below 2005 levels by 2050.

The 12th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(COP 12), meets this year from November 6-16. Many shortcomings still have not been resolved, and it remains to be seen whether countries are willing to make the necessary adjustments. In previous meetings very little progress has been made in setting goals for the second and third stage of CO2 emissions reductions, currently set for 2013-2017 and 2018-2022, as many countries are struggling to meet initial emission reduction targets. In addition, no agreement exists on emissions from aviation and marine transport, as well as deforestation in developing countries, all major sources of CO2 emissions. While global leaders are failing to take decisive measures against this problem, international civil society is demanding action on this issue. 

For more information, feel free to look at the articles and websites below. 

Climate Change Taiwan: what Taiwan is doing. 
http://sd.erl.itri.org.tw/fccc/en/index.html

Climate Change. Taiwan Cares!
http://blog.yam.com/climatechange/

Global Change Research Center in NTU.http://www.gcc.ntu.edu.tw/English/Webpage/Home/Home.asp

Green vitality: Taiwan’s sustainable development.
http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/eco/eco3.htm

Hsu, Kuang-Jung. “Taiwan Report for GEO Project.” Helio International. 1998.
http://www.helio-international.org/reports/1998/taiwan.cfm

Pan, Han-Shen. “Time for action on CO2 emissions.” Taipei Times 2006 October 29. 

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2006/10/29/2003333884

“Per Capita Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Select Asian Countries.” United States Department of Energy International Energy Annual. 2004http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Taiwan/images/taiwan-emissions_percap.xls

“Taiwan Takes Tentative Steps on CO2 Emissions.” Reuters. 2005 June 23.
http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/31376/story.htm

Shan, Shelley. “UK’s climate review has a message for Taiwan too.” Taipei Times. 2006 Nov 4. 

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/11/04/2003334741