Unable to attend COP31, Environment Minister Peng Qiming: Taiwan can become a global model by balancing carbon reduction and economic growth.

COP31 will be held in Turkey today (9th). The Ministry of Environment will hold a forum simultaneously. Minister Peng Qiming said that this session is concerned with topics such as electricity prices, energy, and how to convert carbon reduction into investment benefits. Taiwan’s greenhouse gas emission reductions last year were initially estimated to be 8.74% lower than the base year of 2005, and the economic growth rate reached 8.8%. It is the best example of international net-zero carbon reduction while taking into account economic growth.

The 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP31) in 2026 will be held in Antalya, Turkey from the 9th to the 20th. The Ministry of Environment will hold 10 forums and simultaneously update the latest on-site conditions.

Peng Qiming said that this COP focuses on dialogue, consensus, and action, and is also concerned about the fragility of energy security under geopolitical conflicts. Australia, the country chairing the negotiations, has put the survival of Pacific island countries at the core and discussed climate financing and industrial transformation. Although Taiwan was unable to attend the meeting, our country’s greenhouse gas emissions last year Gas emissions are reduced by 8.7%, a further 2.3% reduction from 2024. Net emissions have dropped for four consecutive years from 2021 to 2025, with an average annual decrease of more than 2%. At the same time, our country's economic growth rate reached 8.8% last year, which is a model of balancing emissions reduction and economic growth.

Peng Qiming further pointed out that the target set by our country last year was 10%. The reason why it could not reach the target was that the Legislative Yuan passed the photovoltaic environmental impact assessment bill last year, which led to the overall shutdown of photovoltaics. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has made efforts to increase rooftop photovoltaic deployment, or increase geothermal power generation. However, the path of renewable energy is currently very challenging in Taiwan, but as long as it is an energy that helps reduce carbon emissions, the Ministry of Environment will not give up. He also said that net Zero emission reduction is related to energy, air pollution, etc., and is not an independent issue. In addition to reducing carbon emissions from industry, renewable energy, energy storage, and grid resilience are also solutions to carbon reduction. For example, reducing the use of coal-fired power generation will also improve the overall air quality. Therefore, this year's air quality policy white paper has set Taiwan's PM2.5 to be below 12 micrograms, gradually moving towards the WHO's 5 microgram target.

Since my country is not a party and cannot participate in COP31, Peng Qiming said that in addition to holding forums, he will also speak out for Taiwan's achievements and contributions in carbon reduction through various external media platforms. He will also accept an interview with an international professional climate podcast and speak for Taiwan at the conference through AIA.

In the first forum, Peng Qiming also connected with Fan Jiande, a professor at Tsinghua University who was at the COP31 venue in Turkey. Fan Jiande pointed out that the conference was very concerned about people's livelihood energy issues and how carbon reduction can go hand in hand with national development. He pointed out that Taiwan's experience in guiding private capital investment in carbon reduction through policies and driving the entire industrial chain will provide lessons for the world.