Taiwan’s environment minister highlights net-zero challenges

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) expressed concerns on Thursday (June 6) about the global challenge of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, including Taiwan.

During a special report to the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee of the Legislative Yuan, Peng highlighted the gap between countries' net-zero goals and the scientific feasibility of meeting these targets.

Global Challenges and Nuclear Energy

Peng noted that attendees of COP28 are aware of the significant efforts required to narrow the gap toward net-zero emissions. However, he pointed out that, scientifically, it seems impossible to achieve.

Regarding nuclear energy, Peng mentioned that Germany's conditional restart of nuclear power does not encourage the promotion of nuclear energy, as each country has its national conditions to consider.

He believes that new nuclear technologies, such as Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and nuclear fusion, could be options for the future. However, their application and safety still need to be investigated, and they cannot solve current issues. Peng mentioned that the volume of the U.S.'s SMR is larger than the Taipei Dome, and nuclear fusion technology is at least a decade away from realization.

The Future of Energy and Prices

Peng emphasized that future electricity and energy prices would gradually increase due to carbon pricing. He stressed the importance of energy conservation as prices are bound to rise.

Additionally, Peng mentioned the emergence of new types of energy that could alter current energy usage patterns. If used properly, these could lead to more economical energy costs.

While the path to net-zero emissions by 2050 appears daunting, focusing on innovative energy solutions and conservation practices may offer a way forward for Taiwan and the global community.

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