One month before the presidential election, the Taiwan Climate Action Network (TCAN), composed of multiple environmental groups, held a press conference yesterday (12th) to evaluate the climate political views of candidates from the three parties. TCAN pointed out that none of the three candidates proposed ambitious carbon reduction targets for 2030, and Hou Youyi and Ke Wenzhe even handed over blank papers; in terms of energy ratio, Hou and Ke have low feasibility of including nuclear power, and the draft agreement of the COP28 United Nations Climate Conference Nuclear energy is not included. TCAN said the climate political views of the three groups of candidates will be compiled in "2024 presidential climate politics magnifying glass” website to provide voters with a reference.
The Taiwan Climate Action Network released the "2024 Presidential Climate Policies Magnifying Glass" yesterday.
Image source: Retrieved from the 2024 Presidential Climate Policies Magnifying Glass website
The 2030 carbon reduction target Hou and Ke failed to submit due to lack of ambition.
The United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) is coming to an end, and Taiwan’s presidential election is also entering the countdown to one month. At a press conference yesterday on the "2024 Presidential Climate Politics Magnifying Glass" website, TCAN took stock of seven categories of climate politics including candidates' carbon reduction targets, carbon pricing, power structure, renewable energy, industrial transformation, citizen participation, and just transition.
Lin Yanting, a researcher at the Environmental Rights Protection Foundation, said that none of the three candidates proposed ambitious carbon reduction targets for 2030. Hou Youyi has not expressed his position so far. In an interview, Wu Xinying, Ke Wenzhe’s deputy, mentioned the 40% for carbon reduction in 2030. Whether it will be included in the political opinions has yet to be confirmed. Lai Qingde, the only one who proposed the 2030 target, maintained the existing policy of 24±1%, which is too negative. According to research conducted by TCAN in collaboration with the United States, Taiwan should reduce carbon emissions by 40% in 2030 to achieve the net-zero target.
In terms of carbon pricing, Lai Ching-te followed the authorities' approach, levying carbon fees on businesses and giving preferential rates to encourage voluntary reductions; Ke Wenzhe proposed using carbon fees (or carbon taxes) and carbon trading to achieve "multiple carbon pricing" and make it public The purpose of the income; Hou Youyi’s relevant political opinions are missing.
Electricity structure goals proposed by three presidential candidates. Image source: Retrieved from the 2024 Presidential Climate Policy Magnifying Glass website
Lin Yanting said that the Ke camp's "transparency in the use of carbon fees" is in the right direction, but the administrative cost of carbon trading pricing is high and market information is confusing, which the public is not happy to see. And the Lai camp gives preferential treatment to carbon emitters, which may make the carbon fee look like " "Left hand in, right hand out" cannot achieve the goal of returning climate revenue to the people and reducing the burden on vulnerable groups.
Hou and Koti restart nuclear energy scholars: reducing coal in nuclear power is an irresponsible practice
The renewable energy ratio of the three groups of candidates in 2030 ranges from 27 to 30%, which is still far behind the 40% advocated by the public. In terms of coal reduction schedule, Hou Youyi's "2040 Coal-free Taiwan" is the most active, but both Hou and Ke are Nuclear energy is included in the power structure. In 2030, the proportion of nuclear energy will be 12% and 10%.
Cui Suxin, secretary-general of the Green Citizen Action Alliance, pointed out that the political opinions of Hou and Ke meant that the nuclear power plant must be postponed. However, nuclear one has been decommissioned, the application for an extension of nuclear power three has expired, and nuclear two has been shut down in advance due to the full fuel pool. "That is not to say "Restart can restart." Candidates should explain the feasibility to the outside world, otherwise it will be empty talk.
Zhao Jiawei, director of the Taiwan Climate Action Network Research Center, emphasized that although nuclear energy was included in the COP28 climate agreement draft for the first time, the "tripleling of nuclear energy" advocated by some countries was not included. He called on candidates to focus on doubling renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and accelerating industrial transformation. "Don't think that using nuclear power to reduce coal means being responsible for the climate."
TCAN also called on candidates to set phased control targets for high-carbon-emitting industries as my country's industries emit large amounts of carbon emissions; and to propose specific response mechanisms to the frequent controversies over green energy development in recent years.
Cui Suxin said that the information in the "2024 Presidential Climate Policy Magnifying Glass" was taken from official documents released by candidates and political parties, including political briefings, official election websites, etc.; informal social posts and speeches by other party members were not included. TCAN will also ask questions on issues that candidates have not expressed a position on, and will continue to update if there are responses.
Source: Environmental Information Center
