The firms are Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., United Microelectronic Corp., AU Optronics Corp., Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp. and AsusTek Computer Inc.
AsusTek’s N51V is the first notebook computer in the world to have received both an Environmental Product Declaration and carbon footprint certificates. One of AUO’s 32-inch LCD TVs has obtained the Publicly Available Specification 2050:2008 carbon footprint verification.
According to Arthur Chiao, chairman of Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association, in 2008 TEEMA members generated a total of US$216.6 billion in revenues, of which US$118.7 billion came from exports.
Some 46.7 percent of the nation’s total outgoing shipments came from products made by TEEMA members, Chiao said.
This being the case, as the U.S. and EU impose increasingly strict carbon emission limits, local businesses need to initiate supply chain carbon management programs as soon as possible, Chiao said.
However, knowledgeable sources pointed out that only a few companies on the island have prepared an inventory of their own carbon emissions. These include Chunghwa Telecom Co. Ltd., TSMC and UMC.
In related news, the Cabinet-level Environmental Protection Agency said that the European Parliament has passed a resolution that aims to reduce the amount of carbon emissions on all flights to and from any EU airport starting in 2012. The agency calls on local airliners to take all necessary actions promptly.
The EPA has also recently organized a carbon inventory program to help local firms calculate the amount of greenhouse gases they generate per year. Test results can serve as a basis for participating firms to formulate carbon emission reduction policies, EPA officials said.
The results showed that China Airlines Ltd., Kuo-Kuang Motor Transportation Co. Ltd. and Taipei 101, which volunteered to take part in the program, emitted a total of 6.8 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2008. Such an amount of carbon will require 14 million trees more than 40 years to absorb.
Of the three volunteers, China Airlines was the worst offender, with 6.62 million tons of carbon dioxide released last year, the equivalent of cutting down 14.23 million trees. Aviation fuels accounted for nearly 95 percent of all the airline’s emissions. (SFC-HZW)