Today (4th), Taoyuan City Deputy Mayor Su Jun-bin attended the World Cities Summit 2024 in Singapore to accept the prestigious A-List city recognition from the international Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Highlighting the significance of carbon disclosure as a vital tool for urban health assessments, Su stressed how transparency enhances the precise implementation of net-zero policies. Taoyuan stands as the sole city in Taiwan to achieve this distinction, joining an esteemed group of eight cities in Asia, including Tokyo, Seoul, and Jakarta. Out of nearly a thousand cities worldwide that participated, only 120 received this prestigious recognition, underscoring Taoyuan's significant strides toward meeting rigorous international standards and gaining global acclaim.
CDP annually evaluates cities worldwide, playing a critical role in overseeing the achievement of net-zero carbon emission goals. The evaluation criteria include whether a city publicly discloses its carbon emission inventory, sets "science-based" reduction targets, sets goals for renewable energy usage, and publishes a climate action plan for the city. Su noted that over the past year, Taoyuan has undertaken numerous innovative measures towards achieving net-zero emissions. Through collaborative efforts across multiple departments and under the effective leadership of Mayor Chang San-cheng, the city has formulated and actively pursued short and medium-term goals. These initiatives specifically target industrial carbon reduction, urban building carbon reduction, and promoting green transportation. Furthermore, Taoyuan has seamlessly integrated low-carbon guidelines into key activities, demonstrating its steadfast commitment to and proactive engagement in the carbon disclosure initiative.
Su further elaborated that Taoyuan's industrial and commercial output is as high as NT$4.8 trillion, leading the nation. The future development trend of industry and commerce will be at the forefront of the net-zero transition. In response to climate change and the goal of achieving net-zero by 2050, the city government focuses on three core areas: "industrial transition guidance," "green transportation realization," and "renewable energy and energy conservation." By adopting science-based models for assessment, they transparently disclose the risks and opportunities of carbon emission management and demonstrate a clear and comprehensive net-zero pathway. This approach has successfully earned recognition in the CDP Cities rankings.
Su emphasized that in terms of "industrial transition guidance," Taoyuan has been guiding industries to shift from high-carbon fuels to clean fuels. In 2023, the city successfully joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), gradually phasing out coal demand and proposing alternatives such as natural gas or electricity. Regarding "green transportation realization," Taoyuan is actively advancing its rail transport systems and promoting the electrification of transportation. In particular, the city has launched initiatives such as the 30KM Happiness Mileage and the T-PASS monthly commuter ticket to encourage increased usage of public transportation and enhance adoption rates in this sector. Additionally, Taoyuan has set clear implementation targets for the electrification of vehicles. Goals include achieving full electrification of city buses by 2030 and ensuring that all government and school vehicles are 100% electric.
In terms of "renewable energy and energy conservation," Taoyuan is steadfastly adhering to national energy stability policies by furthering the development of renewable energy sources. This effort includes offering subsidies for energy storage equipment to stabilize the supply and demand of green energy, thereby reinforcing Taoyuan's status as a leader in photovoltaic installation capacity in northern Taiwan. Moreover, the city is enhancing support for industries through initiatives like promoting green factories and establishing industrial support groups. These measures assist industries in conducting greenhouse gas inventories, enhancing energy efficiency, and implementing smart energy management systems, thus facilitating a gradual transition towards achieving net-zero emissions.