Greenpeace released the latest report today (10th), integrating the carbon reduction progress of the top 20 domestic carbon-emitting companies such as TSMC, Innolux, Sinosteel and Formosa Plastics, and found that 80% of companies have not reached the carbon reduction goals recommended by the United Nations; Renewal Except for TSMC, the other 19 companies failed in terms of energy use ratio. Greenpeace calls on large carbon emitters to keep up with the international carbon reduction trend, invest in green power for their own use as soon as possible, and take responsibility for carbon reduction.
Most companies’ net-zero goals lag behind carbon reduction progress and cannot catch up.
Greenpeace released the "Climate Action Warning Light: Climate Responsibility of Taiwan's Top 20 Carbon Emitters" report today (10th), taking stock of the carbon reduction, green power progress and other various aspects of climate change response actions of the top 20 domestic carbon emitters. . According to Greenpeace statistics, these 20 largest carbon emitters will account for approximately 43.82% of national carbon emissions in 2022. The list includes 5 "ICT industries" such as TSMC, Innolux, Micron Taiwan, AUO, and UMC, as well as 15 "traditional industries" ” Such as China Steel, Formosa Plastics, PetroChina, etc.
Regarding the carbon reduction goals of various companies, Xu Xiangcheng, director of Greenpeace’s climate and energy project, analyzed that most companies have medium and long-term carbon reduction goals, but they are not fully in line with the 43% emission reduction recommended by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2030. goals and therefore need to be strengthened. Among them, Micron Taiwan lacked the 2050 net-zero target, becoming the only one among the 20 companies that failed.
Taking a closer look at the carbon reduction progress of each company, the IPCC recommends that to limit warming to 1.5°C, the world needs to reduce carbon emissions by 43% by 2030 compared with 2019, with an average annual reduction of 3.9%. Greenpeace analyzed the average annual carbon emission change rate from 2019 to 2022. The carbon reduction rate of 80%’s major carbon emitters did not reach the recommended value. Among them, traditional industries have been relatively passive in reducing carbon emissions. For example, the carbon emissions of Rongsheng and Dalian Chemical Industry have not decreased but increased in recent years.
Greenpeace released the survey results, with a green light indicating a passing grade, a yellow light indicating a need for improvement, and a red light indicating a failing grade. Image source: provided by Greenpeace
The proportion of green electricity is "full of red" Greenpeace calls for investment in self-consumption
Regarding the key use of renewable energy, Greenpeace statistics point out that most companies lack renewable energy power usage targets and receive a red light. Only some ICT companies have proposed more aggressive goals due to joining the RE100 initiative. However, the actual use of renewable energy is almost "completely reversed". Most companies have been rated as red lights and their utilization rates are lower than 2%. Only TSMC has reached 5% and received a yellow light, but it still lags behind the International Energy Agency (IEA). recommended value.
Greenpeace emphasized that more than 80% of carbon emissions in the ICT industry come from electricity, but the overall proportion of renewable energy use is very low, causing carbon emissions to increase instead of decreasing. At present, TSMC, AUO, and UMC have announced their commitment to the RE100 target. However, except for TSMC, the actual renewable energy usage ratio of other companies in 2022 is less than 0.2%. Among them, Taiwan Micron is the worst performer and has no progress in the use of renewable energy. and goal planning.
Greenpeace calls on the ICT industry's green power demand to grow year by year, but there is no renewable energy target and the progress is very slow. Green power should be put into self-use as soon as possible, increase the use of renewable energy, and take the lead in taking responsibility for one's own energy use. In addition, in order to enhance sustainable competitiveness and practice environmental and social responsibility, we should keep up with the 2030 goal of using 100% renewable energy set by international companies such as Google or Apple.
Green electricity statistics in the ICT industry. Image source: provided by Greenpeace
Shouna Shengduo and green-collar talent evaluation hopes that companies will pay more attention to it
This report also includes the evaluation of biodiversity and green-collar talent cultivation for the first time. Greenpeace pointed out that climate change has caused rapid loss of biodiversity, and large carbon emitters must also take responsibility to mitigate the impact. However, statistics have found that most companies lack commitment or action in this regard. Only TSMC and Taiwan Cement have obtained the only green light to follow the nature-related financial disclosure (TNFD) framework and regularly carry out relevant monitoring and conservation actions.
In addition, in order to effectively plan and implement climate actions, Greenpeace also calls on large carbon emitters to assess the green talent gaps required for transformation and plan training programs to ensure that employees have the skills required to cope with the net-zero transformation. With the exception of TCC, Sinosteel, and Innolux, companies generally do not pay enough attention to the cultivation of green-collar talents, and lack of training may lead to talent gaps in companies during the net-zero transformation process.
Source: Environmental Information Center
