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Updated Friday, April 23, 2010 9:16 am TWN, By Elaine Hou, The China Post TISE urges less carbon emissionsRanked 22nd worldwide for total carbon emissions, Taiwan accounts for about one percent of the world's total amount of carbon emissions, 28.9 billion metric tons, said Eugene Chien (簡又新), chairman of the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TISE). Excessive carbon emissions have caused global warming, which would trigger devastating phenomena such as extreme climate change and rising sea levels resulting from melt glaciers. TISE thus encouraged the government, business groups and individuals to engage in reducing carbon emissions together, aiming to decrease a total of 210 million metric tons of carbon emissions in the next decade. The government has set up 10 strategies, ranging from lawmaking to education, to help cut down on carbon emissions, said Vice Premier Eric Chu, who was invited to demonstrate Taiwan's commitment to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions, along with other representatives of foreign countries in Taiwan. TISE also came up with three suggestions for the government: upgrading the level of the current administrative unit dealing with climate change policy, reviewing the policies regarding industries that emit high volume of carbon dioxide, and finally making state-run businesses the first to start lowering carbon emissions. Please turn to page 15 Over 50 percent of Taiwan's carbon emissions come from the industry, 70 percent of which are generated from state-run businesses, Chien continued. The government should further develop green industries, turning Taiwan into a low-carbon society that is sustainable, Chien explained. Premier Wu Den-yih also announced the launch of a low-carbon homeland program yesterday, local media reported. The program includes developing six low-carbon cities by 2014 and establishing four low-carbon residential areas in northern, central, southern and eastern parts of the island, Wu said at the launching ceremony held by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA). Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here |
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