Addressing the rising frequency of extreme heat, the Taoyuan City Government conducted its 2026 High-Temperature Adaptation and Response Tabletop Exercise on May 28. Involving 19 municipal departments, the exercise simulated consecutive days of extreme heat exceeding 38°C in Luzhu District. Following the Taoyuan High-Temperature Response Guidelines, operations activated Orange and Red alerts alongside the heat response task force to test cross-departmental, real-time responses to heatwave disasters.
Yen Chi-Liang, Director-General of the Department of Environmental Protection of the Taoyuan City Government (TYDEP), pointed out that Taoyuan pioneered nationwide by establishing the High-Temperature Response Guidelines, creating a science-based, three-stage alert mechanism. An Orange alert is triggered when temperatures hit 36°C for three consecutive days or reach 38°C in a single day, while a Red alert indicates temperatures reaching 38°C for three days in a row. Depending on the alert level, the city activates cross-departmental operations, including outdoor labor protections, welfare visits to vulnerable residents, school activity adjustments, medical readiness, and public cooling initiatives.
Yen noted that besides testing these warning systems, the exercise simulated disasters like traffic accidents and oil spills triggered by extreme heat, strengthening coordination under climate strain.
TYDEP added that Luzhu District recorded a high of 39.1°C last year, making it a primary heat hotspot. Extreme heat has evolved into a compound risk affecting public health, labor safety, transportation, and urban governance. The exercise allowed the city to measure departmental response capacities to refine future heat adaptation policies.
TYDEP explained that the city also built Taiwan’s first Climate Adaptation Mapping Platform, integrating heat hotspots, indoor and outdoor cooling stations, and climate risk data to help citizens find cooling spaces. Beyond government offices, parks, farmers’ associations, and temples, the platform maps universities, green hotels, and major shopping malls, including Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Far Eastern Department Store, Far Eastern SOGO, Taimall, and MetroWalk.
TYDEP emphasized that the city will continue pursuing carbon reduction and climate adaptation. By strengthening urban infrastructure, refining heat warning systems, and protecting high-risk populations, Taoyuan aims to mitigate climate impacts and build a net-zero sustainable city.