How Taiwan's Stringent Localization Policy is Choking Offshore Wind
Taiwan requires the nationalization of the offshore wind power supply chain, the construction cost of wind farms is 2.5 times higher than that of Europe, and the price of electricity will be 50% higher than in the past. How can offshore wind farms, which are so expensive that they cannot be built, continue in the future?
The Taiwanese Company Tackling Global Waste through Diaper Recycling
Waste and pollution from disposable diapers is becoming a major issue worldwide. But one Taiwanese company’s diaper recycling process may be a solution to the global waste problem.
Making its Mark on Africa's Tallest Building, MEAN WELL Expands into the Middle East and Africa Markets
The Iconic Tower, scheduled for completion this year as the tallest building in Africa, is a significant landmark in Egypt's New Administrative Capital. The Tower incorporates MEAN WELL products, including the DRC-100A and PSC-60A, in its uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system.
How do Evergreen Marine, Eva Airways, and Hotai Motor cut emissions?
Taiwan’s transportation industry has faced criticism for its sluggish progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Now, transportation companies are pressed not only to decrease their dependence on fossil fuels but also to navigate climate legislation to remain competitive.
Taiwan hustles to generate carbon credits
Taiwan is gripped by fear that it might not be able to meet carbon reduction targets. Following the opening of the island’s first carbon credit exchange in early August, government agencies and enterprises are scrambling to figure out how to generate tradable carbon credits.
Taipei is burning! Where are the five hot spots
Taipei is heating up faster than the rest of the world and at the second fastest rate among Asian capital cities. Why is it so hot? What are the five major hot spots in the Taipei Basin? With summer temperatures hitting record highs, what can help cool the city down?
This Taiwan firm turns PET bottles into Nike shoes and LEGOs
Far Eastern New Century is the world leader in food-grade rPET pellets. Its know-how comes from subsidiary Oriental Green Materials, which specializes in recycling PET bottles. How did this company change from a money-losing venture into one of Far Eastern's most valuable assets?
Why Are Wind Farm Developers Leaving Taiwan?
The continued development of offshore wind farms is crucial for Taiwan’s transition to a low-carbon economy. But there is a growing sense among international wind power developers that such investments are not worthwhile anymore, while banks no longer dare arrange project financing. Even TSMC acknowledges that “it will take a new approach” to make foreign companies stay in the game. An adjustment of Taiwan’s wind energy policy is long overdue.
Taiwan offshore wind development faces headwinds
Over the past five years, offshore wind power in Taiwan has grown from two demonstration turbines to 90. However, even though Taiwan is blessed with "the world's best wind farms", some offshore wind developers are either having trouble raising funds or unwilling to sign contracts, some are even withdrawing from Taiwan. What are the implications?
The scramble for Chile’s lithium: Is Taiwan in?
The electric vehicle revolution has turned lithium into the new oil. CommonWealth Magazine went to Chile to witness the battle for this precious resource, find out what is at stake, and see if a Taiwanese business can hold onto a piece of the action.
Net zero targets could force Taiwan's chipmakers abroad
The adoption of net zero emissions targets by global technology giants like Apple, Google and Microsoft is turning into a serious problem for Taiwan’s massive chipmaking industry. Pressure to decarbonise the extremely power-hungry production of semiconductors is rising rapidly, but chipmakers based on the island – such as Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC) - have limited options to crank up the use of renewable electricity, as Taiwan’s power mix remains heavily dominated by fossil fuels. TSMC and other suppliers might have no other option but to move production elsewhere.
Get Greater - Giant Group’s 50th Anniversary Sustainable Future Summit
Facing the challenge of carbon reduction, the transportation industry, which accounts for 16% of global carbon emissions, is seeing cycling as one of the greenest ways for citizens to commute. Giant Group, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, held the "Get Greater - Sustainable Future Summit" recently advocating that Taiwan's bicycle industry should execute sustainability through innovation and co-opetition with the international community.
COP27: The Taiwanese view
COP27, the latest United Nations conference on climate change is underway in Egypt. However, Taiwan is excluded from the official negotiations while some Taiwan civil society organizations and businesses are able to participate. What are their perspectives?
How Delta Electronics revived a coral reef
Delta Electronics has been at the forefront of the ESG movement in Taiwan and has now successfully rejuvenated a coral reef on Taiwan’s northern coast, an experience it will be sharing at COP 27 in Egypt in mid-November. Here’s how it did it.
How a Taiwanese university team won a global green building award
European Solar Decathlon in Germany, with an energy self-sufficient house that could serve as a model to turn run-down houses into greener, more livable spaces. How did they achieve this feat?
How could garbage help Taiwan factories reduce emissions?
The central Taiwan county of Nantou has the most serious waste processing problem. In the future, they could help factories reduce carbon emissions, while also helping extend the life of other municipalities' incinerators. How could this be done?
Climate change throws Taiwan’s mackerel fishing into crisis
Rising ocean temperatures affect the migration patterns of fish that used to visit Taiwan’s coastal waters. At the same time, overfishing has depleted fish stocks. Mackerel, in particular, might one day no longer be seen in Taiwanese waters. What can the fishermen do?
Taiwan’s tea growers on the defensive against climate change
Tea farmers in northern Taiwan are struggling with the consequences of climate change that are stunting the growth of their tea trees. One tea champion has even fallen prey to this unforgiving foe. What are they doing to cope?
Taiwan’s first climate refugees
The low-lying communities along the western coastal corridor of Taiwan could become the island's first victims of the climate crisis. How can they cope with the imminent threats?
How Taiwan’s expanding semiconductor industry deals with water shortages
As Taiwan's semiconductor industry expands to cater to rising global chip demand, southern Taiwan will be hardest hit by water shortages. The battle for water has already begun.
How a Taiwanese company is trying to save the ocean
Discarded fishing nets are extremely harmful to marine ecology, but an alliance of fishermen’s associations, fishing net makers and nylon producers in Taiwan are trying to solve the problem by turning waste nets into outdoor clothing. Here’s what they’re up to.
How can Cheng Kung University reach carbon neutrality in 20 years?
National Cheng Kung University has announced its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2041, making it the most aggressive public university in Taiwan in this respect. How have they built buildings with no need for air conditioning, and run experiments without using a single drop of tap water?
Taiwan’s Green Transportation on the Move
According to Bill Gates’ book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, transportation accounts for 16% of the world’s carbon emissions. Countries around the world are looking for solutions that reduce carbon emissions while maintaining transportation efficiency and quality. Under the government’s 2050 net-zero emissions goal, can Taiwan develop sustainable intelligent transportation to perhaps even make it a mainstay of Taiwanese soft power?
No power shortage? Steelmakers beg to differ
Taiwan’s government has insisted Taiwan has plenty of electricity. Many industrial parks would disagree, having faced repeated power outages in recent years while science parks remain unaffected. Why this world of power haves and have-nots?
Blackout exposes Taiwan electrical grid’s major vulnerabilities
An equipment malfunction in one of the power plants led to twelve hours of power outages across Taiwan, affecting 5.5 million households. How is the blackout of March 3rd different from those that happened before? What kinds of new risks does it portend?
Taitung official builds expertise in rewilding Formosan black bears
The forests in the mountainous areas of Taitung County are an important habitat of the endangered Formosan black bear. Over the past three years, forestry technician Hsu Hui-chun has rescued four Formosan black bears. How did she do it?
Is Taiwan headed towards an energy crisis in 2023?
Does Taiwan have enough power? A quick comparison between consumption trends and supply capacity shows that a crisis may occur as early as 2023. Once Taiwan shuts down its last nuclear power plant in 2025, the risk of running out of electricity will be even higher.
Why Taiwan and France must work together against climate change
The planet is experiencing accelerated warming and unprecedented loss of its biodiversity. Faced with the increasingly serious consequences of the lasting damage caused to the planet, we must act, and act quickly.
Taiwan needs more stable sources of green energy
Taiwan’s green energy policy is highly dependent on intermittent wind and solar power. With progress in those areas behind schedule, is it time for Taiwan to focus more on stable renewable power, such as geothermal and biomass energy?
Turning used cardboard lunch boxes into fuel? Paper mills hold the secret weapon
As food deliveries became a new norm during the pandemic, the trend gave rise to the increasing problem of recycling paper meal boxes. Investing billions of NT dollars in new facilities to solve the issue of paper containers, how has Taiwan paper industry giant Cheng Loong reduced costs and emissions, while generating renewable electricity?
Fossil Free Sweden is within reach- A new type of public-private partnership is required
If the world is to reach the climate target in the Paris Agreement, the key is for business to start seeing the transition as an opportunity instead of an obstacle. How can the Swedish government and the commercial sector work together towards the goal of net zero?
Spending 1.4 billion on a small Malaysian island to plant trees, what is Sinyi Realty thinking?
Having replaced light bulbs and purchased green electricity, what else can corporations do to reduce carbon emissions? Sinyi Realty spent NT$1.4 billion to buy Mengalum Island in Malaysia, and plans to plant trees on this island spanning more than the area of 10 Daan Forest Parks. What do they have in mind?
COP26 to showcase Scotland’s global commitment to a net zero future
Scotland will host the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). The country which has the world's leading climate change legislation will demonstrate its commitment to a net zero future. Taiwan could also play a part.
Can SMEs become carbon neutral?
In 2020, O'right became the world's first zero-carbon beauty company. What does it mean for the SMEs?
Does Taiwan have enough power for TSMC?
As Taiwan’s reliance on solar energy grows annually, a new kind of crisis is emerging. The sun does not work overtime, so when solar power generation drops faster than consumption each afternoon, Taiwan comes face-to-face with the “second peak”. Failure to mitigate the risks could result in rolling blackouts, again.
How UK and Taiwan can rise to the challenges and opportunities of climate action
The UK and Taiwan have been cooperating closely in the fields of green energy for many years. How could Taiwan learn from the successful experience of the UK and move towards the goal of net zero?
The challenge of climate change
From China to Germany, floods expose climate vulnerability. The climate change expert, Sir Brian Hoskins, warned that if we do not take more aggressive measures to reduce carbon emissions, natural disasters may become more and more extreme.
500 days in Taiwan: A reflection on building offshore wind from a Japanese perspective
Recently, an article criticizing Taiwan's maritime policy has aroused heated debate. While everyone is hesitating whether investing in Taiwan's offshore wind power is the right choice, a Japanese engineer in Taiwan has a different idea.
Ocean Data for All: Why we need to break down barriers for the global sharing of ocean data
The ocean works at a global scale. To understand changes at a global scale, we need to ensure that ocean data are readily available in global data sets. Unfortunately, ocean data are often siloed – trapped in national databases, on laptops, and in logbooks. How does Ocean Data For All solve the problem?
Net zero emissions: a core business priority
Tackling climate change and becoming more resilient to its impacts are issues that have been steadily going up the business agenda in the last 3 years. But clear policy direction at a global and national level will be essential to accelerate businesses transition to net zero emissions, writes Nick Molho, executive director at the Aldersgate Group, a UK-based cross-economy business alliance.
Taiwan's water crisis
Taiwan is currently experiencing its worst drought in 56 years. How much water does Taiwan have left?
A carbon neutral future: Can Taiwan get there?
The European Union is considering a carbon border tax, and global investors are more focused on ESG and climate change than ever. How big of a challenge will it be for Taiwan to reach net zero emissions? What companies will be zero-carbon pioneers?
The future of semiconductor depends on a Tainan hydrogen plant
Air Liquide Far Eastern (ALFE) recently commissioned the world’s largest ultra-high purity, low-carbon hydrogen production facility in Tainan, where hydrogen will be obtained by water electrolysis using renewable energy. At the plant’s inauguration ceremony, customer representatives from TSMC and a US chipmaker filled the front-row seats.Why is hydrogen, invisible and intangible as it is, so important to the future of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry?
It’s time to make hydrogen dreams come true
Australia lists hydrogen as the most important energy of electricity transition. And in Taiwan, where LNG is rapidly ramping up to replace coal-fired electricity generation, hydrogen can play a role in further reducing the total emissions of this relatively cleaner source of energy.
Is Taiwan ready for the hydrogen economy?
The government has yet to include hydrogen in its renewable energy policies, but the private sector is already investing in this fast-growing area.
Can Taiwan quench TSMC’s thirst for water?
TSMC is planning a 2nm wafer foundry complex that could substantially increase the demand for water in a part of Taiwan that frequently goes dry. Can enough water be found for the project, or will it be derailed by an environmental impact assessment?
As Taiwan faces its worst-ever water shortage, what more can be done?
The water shortage across Taiwan has reached alarming levels as more than half of reservoirs are running dry. Digging wells and recycling wastewater are longer-term measures that cannot alleviate the immediate critical situation. What else can Taiwan do to better manage scarce water resources?
Bill Gates: "Avoiding a climate disaster is not easy, but not impossible"
Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, in an exclusive roundtable interview for Asia-Pacific media outlets, reiterated the severity of the climate crisis and laid out the solutions. “Switching to electric cars is great, but not enough,” he said. All of us, he believes, need to tackle the most difficult tasks.
‘Solar Power Fat Cats’: Green Energy Reduced to Money-making Game
Taiwan has made a big push to develop solar power, but in the process financial incentives are distorting the market and hurting the environment. CommonWealth Magazine takes a closer look at the downside of solar power development in Taiwan.
How renewable energy infrastructure could accelerate Asia’s green future
Renewable energy infrastructure poses one of the largest investments and development opportunities in Asia in the next 10 years. Solar and wind power have already proved their effectiveness in the region while also future-proofing the energy supply in Asia. In coming years, there will be significant opportunities in both developing and developed economies for green energy.
Is Taiwan Doing Enough to Address Climate Change in The Hottest Summer Ever?
Over the last few months, Taiwan has seen its hottest summer ever due in part to man-made climate change, however Taiwan’s government still does not seem to recognize the scale of the climate issue and Taiwan’s role in it. There does not seem to be enough recognition of the urgency with which Taiwan needs to deal with climate change.
Taiwan’s Solar Power Dream Collides with Reality
Taiwan’s solar power policies are threatening the environment by putting pressure on coastal ecosystems and wild animal habitats and turning power plant land and licenses into mere financial commodities. What has gone wrong?
The ‘Ghost’ Shadowing Taiwan’s Industrial Polluters
For more than 20 years, professor Huang Huan-chang has been tracking illegal dumps of industrial sludge and heavy metals, exposing the dark side of Taiwan’s economic prowess. Yet despite his best efforts, strong incentives remain for the illicit practices to continue.
Invisible ‘Breeze Rights’ Can Impact Your Electricity Bill
Front-row views overlooking riverbanks and parks are marketing aces in the hole for developers, yet they block the wind and make the neighborhoods behind them hotter. Land can be privately owned, but wind belongs to the community. So how are local governments in Taiwan helping cool down cities and keep breezes flowing?
How Can Solar Power Arrays Co-exist with Nature?
Installing renewable power systems in pristine environments has often sparked controversy, but the concept may still have a future if the stakeholders are committed to a common good, as a solar energy project in Chiayi County is showing.
Activist Mothers in Hsinchu Fight for Clean Water – Do Microchips Matter More than People?
Are you filtering your water or even buying bottled water for drinking and cooking? Why does clean water, safe for human consumption, remain a luxury for many in Taiwan? Eager to find out why their local water source, the Touqian River, is so polluted, a group of activist mothers from Hsinchu went trekking upstream, discovering an overflowing landfill, industrial wastewater effluents and badly mismanaged water rights.
Post COVID-19, Time to Make Peace with Our Earth
The COVID-19 pandemic is just the latest warning sign that the balance between humanity and the environment is out of kilter. But it also provides an opportunity to set things right, including in Taiwan, and the time for action is now.
Will a 20-Year-Old Forest be Chopped Down to Produce Solar Power?
County Highway 185 in Pingtung is nestled in a sea of greenery that has enticed countless tourists. Taiwan Sugar Corporation spent twenty years nurturing this swath of woodland. Now, they are said to be cutting part of it down to make room for solar power plants. From planting trees to felling them, what does it mean for the surrounding countryside?
RSPRC: Green Transition Should Be Integral to Taiwan's Stimulus Plan
Taiwan's President, Tsai Ing-wen began her second term last month, after overseeing an effective COVID-19 response. Has she set out to achieve what she promised to do, and do Taiwanese agree with her energy transition policies? Also, what are local environmental groups and experts saying?
Strong Support Among Taiwanese for More Proactive Measures to Combat Climate Change
A recent survey by the National Taiwan University's Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) has found, energy transition ranks among the top three long-term priorities that Taiwan's government should be focused on. Also, a majority of Taiwanese agree on the necessity of implementing carbon tax in some form, so as to deal with climate change.
Taiwan’s Renewable Market Revolution Taking Shape
Taiwan’s green energy market gained ground when TSMC completed its first direct purchase of solar power from Vena Energy’s Chiayi plant. What impact will this have on Taiwan’s manufacturers and businesses in the future?
Taiwan Turns Plastic Waste in the Caribbean into Big Brand Apparel
There is a worldwide craze for plastic waste from Haiti. Major brands including adidas and Coca-Cola have all pledged to use recycled materials in their products, and leading Taiwanese apparel contract manufacturer New Wide Group bluntly states that these days it is impossible to find clients unless you use recycled fabrics. Working with a UK-based recycling firm, they are turning plastic bottles from Haiti into functional fabric, not only helping local women, but attracting considerable notice from sports brands for their cutting-edge technology employed.
Taiwan Makes Straws and Salad Boxes Environmentally Friendly
The worldwide revolution to reduce plastic usage and waste has given birth to new products and new companies. And Taiwan’s industry has hopped aboard this wave, with members from the textile and petrochemical industries, down to small- to medium-size businesses, offering creative solutions.
In 2020, Taiwan’s Green Energy Will Power Tech Giants Like Apple and Google
Rising demand from global supply chains for renewable energy has increased investment from various Taiwanese parts suppliers into green power. The enactment of environmental laws and the decrease in green energy costs both point to the possibility that 2020 will be the year when the Taiwanese renewable energy industry begins to grow exponentially.
Formosa Plastics’s Circular Economy Legacy: Turning Decay into Magic
At the end of November 2019, a road race was held at the old Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp. complex in Changhua, signaling the end of an industrial era. The complex’s main factory, which had been around for more than half a century was Formosa Plastics Group founder’s Wang Yung-ching tribute to the circular economy. But the production line has been shut down, and how this 70-hectare plot of land is used in the future could have a profound effect on Changhua residents. Here is the story of where that land has been and where it may be headed.
Scuba Diving with an Ecological Mission
People often say that the island nation of Taiwan boasts a “seafood culture’” but lacks an “ocean culture.” Dylan Chen, a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) platinum course director, is on a mission to ensure that the next generation can still enjoy a beautiful ocean. He spreads environmental concepts and educates people about the ocean in the hope of bringing it into their lives.
When Flooding, Heatwaves, Droughts Become the Norm in Taiwan
Typhoons, extreme heat, and landslides were cited as the most frequently seen hazards. With this in mind, how can Taiwan’s cities cope?
Denmark, Sweden and Germany Are Considering A Meat Tax
Advocates of such a plan say the environmental impact, health ramifications and concerns about animal welfare underpin the need for such a levy. But how realistic is it? And would it really work?
A Japanese Village that Went Almost Waste-Free
The village of Kamikatsu sits among verdant rice fields and mountainous forest on the Western Japanese island of Shikoku. With less than 1,700 residents, it’s the smallest village on the island, but for the last few years, has been garnering headlines around the world.
How the World’s Deepest Underwater Mailbox Off Green Island Generates Business Worth NT$ 60 Million
On Green Island off Taiwan’s southeastern coast postcards mailed from the bottom of the sea have been generating business opportunities worth NT$60 million. Why are postcards that have “floated in the ocean” such a hit with tourists from Taiwan and abroad?
The Taiwanese Team Betting on Breaking the Solar Energy Storage Bottleneck
Their next step: Bringing this technology to remote, off-grid indigenous villages in the mountains of Taiwan.
Australian Solar Could Power Singapore within A Decade
By greening its industries and becoming a major exporter of renewable energy, Australia would be able to reduce its carbon emissions which, including its coal, oil and gas exports, now account for 5% of the global total.
Renting Reusable Cups in Taiwan
Some Taiwanese businesses have begun offering “reusable cups for rent.” The goal is to reduce waste, limit pollution, and make life more convenient for consumers in one fell swoop.
2019 Had the Hottest June Ever Recorded
Wildfires in Catalonia, water handed to homeless people in Toulouse and temperatures running above 45°C in Bahrain. These were just some of the signs of the world’s hottest-ever June since records began 140 years ago.
Extreme Climate = More Mosquitoes
Extreme climate conditions have led to the proliferation of disease-bearing vector mosquitoes and fears of a dengue fever epidemic in Taiwan. How is Taiwan dealing with threat, and what kinds of prevention technologies is it deploying?
Lychees and Longans Could Become Impossible to Get at Any Price
One day in the future, could rambutan and mangosttens replace lychees and longans on Taiwan’s fruit growing calendar? Under the threat of extreme weather, modern agricultural wizards must work to accelerate the capacity for acclimating to the environment and develop countermeasures to win this climate war.
Wildlife Repatriating - Taiwan, Once Dubbed as 'Diewan', Has Come a Long Way
In the early 1990s, Taiwan came under international pressure due to illegal trade in rhino horn and tiger bone. In an advocacy commercial shot by international wildlife conservation groups, Taiwan’s name morphed into 'Diewan', graphically portraying Taiwan as the “island of death” for wildlife due to the illegal trade in endangered species...
Scholars: Taiwan Should Relocate Its Capital
Taipei is an overdeveloped metropolis located in a basin. This has created what is known as an urban heat island, where temperatures are noticeably higher and storms are much more violent than surrounding rural areas. Indonesia has already decided to move its capital as a response to global warming. Should Taiwan do the same?
The Eco-friendly Credit Card
From bananas and sausages to flights and fuel, we all like to keep a tally of what we spend. But whether we monitor the price in dollars, rupees or yuan, it’s unlikely we are also measuring that cost in tons of carbon produced.
The Cost of Generating Renewable Energy Has Fallen - A Lot
It’s the moment the global sustainable energy market has been waiting for. Battery technology, the essential element in ensuring continuity of supply from weather-dependent sources such as wind and solar, has suddenly become cost competitive.
Earth Hour 2019: Switch off Your Lights
On March 30, millions of people will switch off their lights for Earth Hour.
Uncovering an Emissions Controversy
Pollution data suggests Taiwan’s air quality should be getting better. But a CommonWealth Magazine investigation has found that the data may be tainted, with companies using various tactics to hide high air pollution emissions readings.
Break the Fast Fashion Habit and Save the Planet
As Paris fashion week gets underway, the environmental cost of cheap, fast turnaround fashion is in the spotlight.
CO2 Can Be a Valuable Raw Material. Here’s How
What if we did something with carbon emissions, instead of continuing to try and contain them on a massive scale?
Save Food to Stop Wastage
What should we do with surplus food? Tossing food into the bin is wasteful, but how can it be donated to people who need or want it? German research assistant Stefan Simon is promoting foodsharing in Taiwan, not only to reduce food waste, but also for the sake of a more sustainable environment.
Destroying Nuclear Waste to Create Clean Energy? It Can be Done
If not for long-term radioactive waste, then nuclear power would be the ultimate “green” energy.
Taiwan’s Energy Transition Can’t Afford to Have No Plan B
Ever since the large-scale blackout on August 15 last year in Taiwan, a sense of risk has helped this doctor, once totally opposed to nuclear power, to slowly change his tune. Following is an excerpted interview with Dr. Ming-Jiuh Wang.
Asia’s Plastic Problem Is Choking the World’s Oceans. Here’s How to Fix It
Every year 8 million tonnes of discarded plastic ends up in the ocean, and the situation is getting worse. According to a World Economic Forum report, under the current mode and growth of plastic usage, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean (by weight) by 2050.
Real Madrid’s New Football Shirt Is Garbage - in a Good Way
The billion-dollar football business has been going green. Top European football clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus are sporting greener with jersey threads made from recycled plastic bottles.
Air Pollution or Nuclear Power?
In the tug-of-war between time and pollution, how can Taiwan make the best choice during the transitional energy period? Should the transition to green energy happen via nuclear power or air pollution?
Tug-of-War Between Time and Pollution
Taiwan has instituted an ambitious policy of phasing out nuclear power by 2025. It is betting heavily on natural gas and renewables, but has it gone too far in limiting its options while other countries diversify their sources of energy?
One in Three Fish Caught is Thrown Away, According to a New UN Report
According to the latest report published by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, while fish consumption is at an all-time high, the state of fisheries is becoming increasingly unsustainable.
Is Taiwan’s Famed Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival an Environmental Plague?
This article is a reader’s contribution to Crossing. It explores the environmental pollution caused by the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, one of Taiwan’s most famous tourist attractions. What can be done to create a win-win situation for the environment and the tourism industry?
Anxious Skies, Taiwan’s New Environmental Battlefield
The passage of the Environmental Impact Analysis for the proposed Shen’ao coal-fired power plant has ignited popular concerns about air pollution. Over the past two years or more, protests against air pollution have continued unabated. On the heels of the anti-nuclear movement, opposition to air pollution has become the latest environmental battlefield and newest challenge for industry in Taiwan, and a measure by which political parties are judged at election time.
Does ‘Clean’ Coal Power Exist?
Can using so-called “clean” coal to generate power eliminate concerns about dirty air? As lung cancer has practically become the new national illness, how will Taipower’s new Shen’ao coal-fired power plant impact air pollution and health?
An American Beach Boy's Cleaning Journey
“I do care about it,” said Daniel, founder of the coastal cleanup organization RE-THINK. What has brought this American who had never heard of Taiwan before, all the way to this faraway island and become a “Taiwan Beach Boy?”
Taiwan: The Water-starved Island
Taiwan has extensive water resources and a strong network of reservoirs, yet still faces water shortages. CommonWealth Magazine takes a look at the key reasons why, including problems lurking below the surface of the reservoirs themselves.
Island-Nations Echoing Each Other by Declaring War Against Plastic Straws
In 2019, large food and beverage vendors in Taiwan including McDonald’s will no longer be allowed to offer plastic straws for free. In 2025, all single-use tableware will be banned from by all industries. At the same time, prices for plastic bags will be raised by NTD$5 for each. The ultimate goal is to implement a blanket ban on single-use plastic products by 2030.
Bill Gates Wants to Strip CO2 from the Air and Turn It Into Clean Fuel
Microsoft founder Bill Gates is developing the 'Air to Fuel' technology, which promises to clean up the atmosphere and provide clean fuel. Is it practical? What are its potential pros and cons?
Go Get a Lung Screening Immediately, Even If You Don’t Smoke!
Lung cancer is commonly associated with heavy smoking. However, non-smokers in Taiwan would be ill-advised to think they are not at risk as they are more likely to develop lung cancer than heavy smokers in the West. Air pollution, incense use and unsafe cooking methods are believed to be among the culprits.
Can Taiwan Transition to Electric Scooters?
Nearly as many motorcycles and scooters are registered in Taiwan as there are people. Despite their tremendous convenience and low cost, scooters clog both the atmosphere and city sidewalks, diminishing quality of life for everyone. Can the advantages of electric scooters and emerging shared motorcycle services convince enough consumers to complete Taiwan’s transition to electric vehicles by 2030?
Aquaculture Could Feed the World and Protect the Planet - If We Get It Right
With arable land in limited supply, is aquaculture - the practice of growing food in water - a viable solution?