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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan must act to meet net-zero emissions goal: Lai
Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy president Chien You-hsin, front row third left, Vice President William Lai, front row fourth left, and other guests attend the opening ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Forum and Exposition for Sustainability in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
By Wu Po-hsuan and Jake Chung / Staff writer, with staff writer
Highlighting unusual weather events, Vice President William Lai （賴清德） yesterday said at the opening of the Asia-Pacific Forum and Exposition for Sustainability that Taiwan must take action to achieve its goal of net zero emissions.
Speaking in Hoklo （commonly known as Taiwanese, Lai said: “Lang bo tsiau thinn-li, thinn bo tsiau kah-tsi [人不照天理，天無照甲子],” which means if people do not obey the laws of nature, then nature would respond in kind.
A hailstorm in Mexico in June 2019 brings to mind a scene in the Yuan Dynasty play Dou E Yuan （竇娥冤） featuring a snowstorm in June, he said.
This and the heatwave in Europe this year highlight the abnormal changes in weather patterns, he added.
While urging the world to act, Lai said Taiwan last year announced its aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
More concrete measures, such as technology developments, legislative amendments and a budget of NT$900 billion （US$30 billion）, are designed to help bring this policy to fruition, he said.
This year’s forum and expo are focused on the implementation of the government’s efforts to realize its net zero by 2050 goal, with the National Development Council in March announcing a roadmap and strategies to accomplish this goal, Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy president Chien You-hsin （簡又新） said.
Sustainable development is a goal that all people should aim for, and governments must resolutely implement strategies to achieve it, Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung （徐國勇） said.
Nations worldwide are seek to conserve energy and curb carbon emissions — a goal that Taiwan is also pursuing, but such efforts should not be limited to the government, Hsu said.
The public sector, academia and others should also work together with the government on the issue, he said.
The ministry’s seminar on reclaimed water is focused on water recycling, but it also includes plans for sustainable development in national parks, communal residences and oceans, he added.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
A booth at the Asia-Pacific Forum and Exposition for Sustainability at the Taipei World Trade Center is pictured yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
