Taoyuan City Deputy Mayor Su Jun-bin attended the "2024 Asia-Pacific Sustainability Expo" at the Taipei World Trade Center on the afternoon of August 8, where he delivered a presentation on "Taoyuan x Net-Zero Holistic Approach." During his speech, Su shared how Taoyuan City is leveraging cross-domain thinking and proposing integrated carbon reduction solutions to pave the way for Taoyuan's 2050 net-zero ambitions. During the event, Su also engaged in meaningful discussions with Kitakyushu City Deputy Mayor Chikako Oba, focusing on urban carbon reduction strategies. Impressed by Taoyuan’s holistic approach to integrating carbon emissions considerations into city development policies, Deputy Mayor Oba expressed keen interest in further exchanges between the two cities to enhance their sustainability practices.
Su emphasized that carbon emissions are interconnected across various sectors and should not be addressed with isolated solutions for isolated problems. He further stressed the importance of a comprehensive perspective in addressing carbon emissions when planning net-zero strategies. To illustrate this concept, Su used hand-drawn diagrams to explain that the structure of carbon emissions manifests differently across various sectors, with each decision impacting the total carbon emissions in unique ways.
To tackle the city's future development and potential carbon challenges, Taoyuan is employing overarching, integrated solutions. Highlighting Taoyuan’s proactive strategies, Su detailed the city’s approach to new town developments which are planned with a transit-oriented development (TOD) concept. This planning not only establishes a transportation network but also integrates zones for low-pollution, low-carbon businesses and considers essential amenities and public services like schools and hospitals. The strategy extends to enhancing the transportation network with bus routes and shared mobility options, fostering a people-centered, livable environment.
Kitakyushu Deputy Mayor Chikako Oba shared Kitakyushu's vision of balancing environmental, economic, and social sustainability through forward-looking values. Kitakyushu, a key maritime and logistics hub in Japan, has long been recognized as an industrial powerhouse, particularly for its steel industry. Now, like Taoyuan, Kitakyushu faces the challenge of transitioning to a technology and service-oriented economy while maintaining multiple development centers. Su noted the similarities between Taoyuan and Kitakyushu, suggesting that the exchange of strategies and practices between the two cities could lead to deeper future collaborations. Su highlighted the shared challenges and opportunities between Taoyuan and Kitakyushu, advocating for a deeper bilateral collaboration to exchange strategies and practices that could benefit both cities in their sustainability journeys.
The Taoyuan City Department of Environmental Protection (TYDEP) highlighted that Taoyuan City is a major hub for resource recycling, with many key recycling companies rooted in the area. As the global push for net-zero emissions intensifies, Taoyuan is stepping up as a leader, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the integration of resources across various municipal departments and institutions, thereby boosting inspection efficiency and elevating the quality of public services. A notable innovation from Taoyuan is the launch of the world’s first "AI Environmental Pollution Recognition System." This pioneering technology merges AI with urban environmental management to address pollution more effectively. Alongside this, the "Sustainable Water AI Color Recognition System" and the "Smart Dust Control Sprinkler System" have further established Taoyuan’s commitment to technological innovation in environmental protection. These systems played a crucial role in Taoyuan securing prestigious accolades at the 2024 TSAA Taiwan Sustainability Action Awards, including one gold and one silver medal. These achievements showcase Taoyuan's capacity to implement sustainable development goals (SDGs) through innovative strategies.
The TYDEP also emphasized that city's dedication to sustainability at this year's exhibition, anchoring the Taoyuan Pavilion around the core principles of Recycle, Reuse, and Reduce (3R). The pavilion is a testament to innovation and environmental stewardship, utilizing 100% recyclable materials for its construction and achieving a total carbon reduction of 5,601 kilograms, which is equivalent to planting over 300 trees. This remarkable effort highlights Taoyuan’s commitment to cross-sector collaboration in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The pavilion also features engaging activities designed to educate and inspire visitors. Among these are sustainability-focused guided tours and exclusive workshops on creative recycling. In one such workshop, participants learn to repurpose discarded bottle caps into charming turtle keychains, gaining hands-on experience in the entire recycling process, from selecting materials to crafting the finished product. TYDEP extends a warm invitation to the public to visit the Taoyuan Pavilion, where each small action contributes to a larger, collective force for global sustainability.