Since the announcement and implementation of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act (the Act) on July 1, 2015, Taiwan's greenhouse gas reduction system has been gradually established. Due to severe global climate change and the increasing demand for carbon reduction in the industrial supply chain worldwide, countries around the world have reviewed their actions in response to climate change based on the framework of the Paris Agreement, and actively carried out work related to mitigation, adaptation, technology, funding, capacity building, and transparency, continuing to propose the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The current provisions of the Act focus on greenhouse gas reduction management. To be in line with international standards, take into account the needs of sustainable development, adapt to the impact of global climate change, and build a resilient system, Taiwan has to strengthen its adaptation actions, reduce the impact of climate change, incorporate international carbon pricing experience for levying carbon tax, and develop low-carbon technologies as well as incentive systems for the industries and the economy, so that the goal of net-zero emission can be achieved.

 

To accelerate carbon reduction and promote net-zero transformation in line with international trends, as well as to adapt to the impact of global climate change and build a resilient system, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has been promoting the amendment of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act since 2020, and has proposed four major directions, including strengthening emission management, completing economic incentives, confirming the division of authority between ministries and departments, and introducing adaption measures before tabling the draft, and had communicated with legislators, experts and scholars, NGOs and representatives of major industries, using internet platform “Climate Talks” to acquire public opinion.

After considering the advice from all sectors of the society, the EPA promulgated the draft amendment of the Act on October 21 in 2021, later discussed with the legislators, experts and scholars, NGOs, and representatives of major industries on December 20-23 in 2021 and January 10 in 2022 about the content of the draft in-depth to forge consensus, and then revise the draft with reference to the suggestions from all sectors of the society, and submit the draft to the Executive Yuan for approval on February 7 in 2022.

After being reviewed by inter-ministerial meetings convened by the Executive Yuan, the draft amendment was approved by the 3,799th meeting of the Executive Yuan on April 21 in 2022 and submitted to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation. Later on May 11 and May 12 of the same year, the draft amendment was exanimated by Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee during the 5th session of the 10th Legislative Yuan.

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