To promote carbon reduction at the local level, the EPA continues to encourage partnering boroughs that have obtained Low-carbon Sustainable Homeland certifications to participate in this years Carbon Reduction Action Competition for Boroughs. After more than two months of evaluations by region and group, the awarding ceremony was held on 20 April to commend boroughs with outstanding performances. High distinction awards in the silver group were granted to Toufen Village in Yuanshan Township, Yilan County and Baweng Borough in Liuying District, Tainan City.

Climate change is an issue requiring the involvement of all people, from households to boroughs, counties and cities to the entire country. Since 2012, the EPA has been implementing the Low-carbon Sustainable Homeland Certification Scheme, granting silver and bronze certifications. More than a thousand villages and boroughs across the country have obtained certifications, putting low-carbon lifestyles into practice, implementing local climate adaptation measures, and building the capacity needed for achieving net-zero emissions.

The EPA continued to organize the Carbon Reduction Action Competition for Boroughs this year. Recommended by the county and city environmental protection bureaus, 57 villages and boroughs, divided into north, central and south regions, took part in the competition. After more than two months of comprehensive evaluation, outstanding participants were selected. Toufen Village in Yuanshan Township, Yilan County and Baweng Borough in Liuying District, Tainan City won the high distinction awards of the silver group, while Mingxing Borough in Wenshan District, Taipei City and Jixiang Borough in Xindian District, New Taipei City won the high distinction awards of the bronze group.

Toufen Village in Yuansan Township, Yilan County is a typical rural community where large amounts of agricultural wastes are generated as farmers cut down aged bamboo every year. In the past, these wastes were often disposed of by burning, but more recently the waste bamboos were combined with kitchen waste, fermented and reused as soil enhancers. They were promoted as fertilizers of environment-friendly agriculture to farmers so as to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, which in turn lower carbon emissions and air pollution. The idea of "turning waste into treasure" attracted many residents to put circular economy into practice. The residents further established the Low Carbon Learning Workshop, adopting farm-to-table sustainable lifestyles. The high distinction award of the silver group was therefore awarded to Toufen Village for its achievements in consolidating the community and inspiring its residents' interest in low-carbon sustainable topics.

Another place that won the high distinction award of the silver group was Baweng Borough in Liuying District, Tainan City where farmers produce high-quality cheese products, creating considerable economic output values. However, cattle breeding not only produces large amounts of waste but also heavily consumes power. The ranch owners took the suggestion of placing solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of cowsheds to supply not only power for their own needs but also give the remaining power back to the grid, saving energy and reducing carbon emissions. In addition, volunteers from the borough went to the cowsheds to promote the separation and filtration of cow dung and urine, followed by sun exposure and fermentation, to produce green fertilizers for the pasture and crops such as corn. Not only does the practice reduce wastewater discharge, but it recycles and reuses wastes.

In conclusion, rich and diversified carbon reduction actions were promoted in the award-winning villages and boroughs where their chiefs encouraged residents participation in the joint promotion of energy and resource reduction. These actions included introducing citizen power plant systems to actively create green energy, putting into practice resource circulation and recycling and waste reduction, greening communities so as to reduce pollution and lower the temperature, promoting low-carbon diets composed of seasonal and locally grown food, as well as building new lifestyles adaptive to disasters in the face of climate risks. These actions fully reflected the spirit and purpose of the EPAs promotion of the Low-carbon Sustainable Homeland Certification Scheme. (Link to the video about the competition https://youtu.be/L-C0hZm2zg0)

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