Premier Cho Chairs National Council for Sustainable Development: NT$900 Billion by 2030 to Accelerate Green Energy, Energy Storage, and Energy Conservation
Today (21st) Premier Cho Jung-Tai chaired the 36th meeting of the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) and announced that to achieve 2050 Net-Zero Emissions, the central government has allocated NT$116.1 billion for next year (2025). Additionally, there are plans to gradually invest NT$900 billion before 2030 to speed up the promotion of green energy, energy storage, and energy conservation. The Office of the President has established the National Climate Change Committee, which focuses on three main tasks: creating a platform for social participation, a bridge for social communication, and an engine for policy effectiveness. Additionally, the NCSD will play a crucial role in coordinating efforts, dividing responsibilities, and integrating national sustainable development policies. The NCSD will also promote the implementation of various action plans that span different agencies, sectors, and themes. Premier Cho further urged the Ministry of the Interior to prioritize achieving 50% building energy savings, and to power the remaining electricity needs with zero-carbon renewable energy, thereby achieving the 2050 net-zero buildings target.
In his speech, Premier Cho expressed that it was his first time presiding over an NCSD meeting since taking office and felt honored to collaborate with all committee members, working toward sustainable development. The committee members are all experts in various fields, including society, economy, and environment. The expectation is that they will utilize their collective wisdom, take positive action, and engage in innovative thinking to "ensure Taiwan’s sustainability" and enable the nation to continue moving forward.
Chen pointed out that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to resolve environmental, economic, and social issues the world is facing by offering concrete solutions. Although Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations (UN), it is incumbent upon us to also adopt a sustainable development mindset that advocates peace, safety, prosperity, and justice, and take up on responsibilities of a global citizen. As such, Taiwan must proactively integrate sustainable development into its policy making and align with world standards.
Premier Cho expressed that Taiwan has set the mission of achieving the Net-Zero Transition by 2050 in response to global climate change, alongside the implementation of the Climate Change Response Act in 2023. At the same time, the Executive Yuan has announced the 12 Key Strategies, with a total budget of NT$116.1 billion for next year, representing a 21.6% increase from 2024. It is expected that a total of NT$900 billion will be gradually allocated before 2030 to accelerate the promotion of green energy, energy storage, and energy conservation, guiding green investments both domestically and internationally. This will transform the challenges posed by climate change into opportunities for green growth. Moreover, the government will expedite the completion of the Grid Resilience Strengthening Construction Plan. This plan aims to ensure a safe, stable, and sustainable energy supply while supporting all industries in their dual efforts in net-zero and green transition.
Premier Cho emphasized that the government will further implement three key strategies to promote sustainable development across various sectors. First, Sustainable Development Goals will be promoted at the national level through the Office of the President and the Executive Yuan. The Office of the President has established the National Climate Change Committee, which is tasked with three primary responsibilities: providing a platform for social participation, a bridge for social communication, and an engine for policy effectiveness. These efforts aim to foster social consensus and steadily promote the national green growth strategy. The NCSD will act as a key platform for coordinating and integrating national sustainable development policies. It will also promote the implementation of various action plans across agencies, sectors, and themes.
Premier Cho further emphasized that the NCSD will enhance the promotion of the dual strategies of adaptation and reduction. The implementation of the temperature goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are two major initiatives of the United Nations. As a member of the international community, the Taiwan government must bring together various stakeholders—from central and local government agencies to the private sector. This collaboration is essential for effectively promoting greenhouse gas reduction and implementing comprehensive climate change adaptation strategies. By accelerating carbon reduction actions, we can collectively contribute to the future of our planet.
Premier Cho also highlighted the need for the government to actively implement the net-zero buildings strategy, enhance building energy efficiency, and consider civic engagement alongside a just transition. Taiwan has established a solid foundation for green building initiatives. Moving forward, the focus will be on achieving net-zero buildings, which includes promoting smart buildings, green construction practices, eco-friendly building materials, and reducing carbon emissions in construction operations. The public sector will lead the way by prioritizing the development of public buildings, such as social housing. It will encourage private entities to follow suit, thereby fostering the growth of the smart building industry. The collaboration between the public and private sectors aims to identify the most effective path towards net-zero buildings that aligns with Taiwan's future goals for sustainable development and cultivates a greener, net-zero lifestyle.
Subsequently, after listening to the Ministry of Environment’s report on Taiwan’s Advanced Adaptation Strategy for Climate Change, Premier Cho stated that the Climate Change Response Act officially came into effect last year. He urged that during the implementation of the third phase of the National Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan (2023-2026) by various ministries and agencies, continued joint efforts are still required from the central and local governments, as well as between government agencies and the private sector. Additionally, when preparing future annual budgets, priority should be given to the funds necessary for the plan to ensure a safe and resilient Taiwan.
Premier Cho thanked all members for their concrete suggestions, stating that discussions and drafting for the fourth phase of the action plan will begin next year. He urged the Ministry of Environment and all responsible agencies to incorporate these into their subsequent evaluation work to comprehensively enhance the nation’s overall capacity for climate adaptation and impact mitigation. Furthermore, regarding the conclusions and recommendations of the Office of the President’s National Climate Change Committee, the NCSD’s Climate Change and Net-Zero Transition Task Force has been tasked with maintaining cross-agency, cross-sector, and cross-level coordination to unify the efforts of all sectors and promote concrete actions.
Regarding the Ministry of the Interior’s report on the Smart Green and Net-Zero Buildings Transition Strategy, Premier Cho stated that achieving the 2050 Net-Zero Transition is a crucial mission and policy for Taiwan. He emphasized that building energy conservation is a significant component among the 12 Key Strategies. He urged the Ministry of the Interior to consider the recommendations of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and align with international net-zero trends, thereby prioritizing a 50% reduction in building energy consumption and utilizing zero-carbon renewable energy for the remaining electricity needs, ultimately achieving the 2050 net-zero buildings target.
Premier Cho further stated that the Ministry of the Interior will lead efforts in energy conservation and carbon reduction, beginning with social housing. All social housing projects must obtain the green building certification. Additionally, social housing projects directly constructed by the central government will, starting this year, lead the way by fully incorporating planning and designs that ensure energy efficiency level 1 or above. The Ministry of the Interior will continue to manage this initiative and promote the building energy efficiency assessment system. This effort will extend from new public buildings to the private sector, aiming to foster cross-domain integration within the domestic smart, net-zero building industry.
Premier Cho thanked all members for their concrete suggestions. He requested that the Ministry of the Interior continue communicating with all sectors based on the existing foundation for net-zero buildings. The aim is to refine net-zero transition strategies for various public and private buildings through civic participation and social dialogue, thereby advancing towards the Sustainable Development Goals.