Themed Adapting to the Challenges—Living with Climate Change and Advancing toward the Future, the UNFCCC NGO Forum examined government responses to rising sea levels, the adaptation, civic capacity and participation of small island states, and the importance of public-private partnerships.
Organized annually by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Environmental Protection Administration, the one-day event highlights the commitment of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to enhancing awareness of the impact of climate change. Around 100 local and foreign academics, diplomats, experts, officials and NGO representatives took part in the event.
In addition to panel discussions, the forum featured keynote addresses by speakers including Gino Van Begin, secretary-general of Bonn-headquartered ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, and Jorgen Randers, professor emeritus of climate strategy at BI Norwegian Business School.
In his opening remarks, MOFA Deputy Minister Javier Ching-shan Hou said the input from participants will help enhance the ROC government’s efforts to formulate successful strategies for addressing climate change.
“This forum echoes the spirit of climate diplomacy as posed by President Tsai Ing-wen when she stated in her inaugural address that Taiwan will not be absent in the prevention of global warming and climate change,” Hou said.
Since the government aims to contribute meaningfully to the UNFCCC, “we sincerely hope that the international community can support our bid for Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration to be accepted as an observer” in the mechanism, he added.
Frederick Muller, ambassador of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the ROC, noted the forum was being held at a key moment in global efforts to tackle climate change, as major economies around the world are preparing to ratify the Paris Agreement on greenhouse gas emissions sealed at the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in the French capital last December.
“I wish to thank the government of the ROC (Taiwan) for hosting this very significant gathering,” he said, adding “The Marshall Islands will support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in future UNFCCC events and other important regional and international events. Together we can make a difference.”
Taiwan is among only a few countries that have written into law their carbon emissions reduction goals. Promulgated in July 2015, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act sets the nation’s 2050 emissions target at 50 percent of the 2005 level. Furthermore, as stated in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions unveiled two months later, Taiwan plans to lower its greenhouse gas emissions to 214 million tons by 2030, 20 percent lower than the 2005 level. (SFC-E)
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