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Global warming and climate change have multiple impacts on the landscape, ecology, water resources, coastal areas, human health and economy. Climate change is typified by unpredictable fluctuations due to a myriad of complex factors, making it crucial for us to not only understand the causes of global warming and climate change, but even more importantly to educate people about how to adapt to climate change and take action to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions.
What is Taiwan’s role in global warming? Taiwan produces almost none of its own energy, and over half of all energy consumption is in the form of electricity (Yeh, 2010). Taiwan’s energy structure is thus responsible for relatively large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.
Average per capita CO2 emissions has increased from 1990 to 2007. According to IEA/OECD statistics on energy related CO2 emissions published in September 2010, Taiwan’s energy related CO2 emissions reached 264.29 million tonnes in 2008, accounting for 0.9% of global emissions and ranking Taiwan 22nd in the world. On a per capita basis, Taiwan’s CO2 emissions are higher than Japan, Korea and the OECD average of 11.53 tonnes, just between Oman and Russia (Environmental Protection Administration Executive Yuan, R.O.C, 2011). Taiwan is a high-carbon society and is responsible for taking countermeasures.
Energy conservation and carbon reduction are new concepts in policy administration and are highlighted in the national Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Plan, which integrates different agencies and sets national conservation and reduction targets. Comprehensive planning is needed to promote low-carbon economic development and make the transformation to a society that conserves energy and reduces its carbon footprint (Executive Yuan, 2011). Policies have been set for each agency according to their role, function and area of specialization.