The government is working on establishing a carbon neutrality management platform, Environmental Protection Administration Minister Stephen Shu-hung Shen said March 9.
“The platform will provide information on carbon neutrality and allow the public to register and announce carbon neutral actions,” Shen said in his opening remarks at the International Conference on Targeting Carbon Neutrality held in Taipei City.
Shen pointed out that his ministry is helping domestic panel-makers and shampoo manufacturers in adopting carbon neutrality for their products.
Examples abound in other countries where products, activities, companies and cities vie to be certified as having net zero carbon emissions, the minister explained, adding that the EPA will formulate guidelines to help businesses, organizations and consumers reduce their carbon footprints.
According to the EPA, carbon neutrality refers to a situation where the net emissions associated with an organization and its products, services and activities are zero. This is achieved by balancing emissions with reductions achieved elsewhere, such as offset through sequestration or carbon credit purchase.
Environmental experts from Taiwan, the U.K. and U.S. were invited to attend the two-day conference organized by the EPA.
Mark Fraser, global portfolio manager at the British Standards Institution, shared his experienced in promoting carbon neutrality in British cities and enterprises, while Mike Jara, assistant chancellor of facilities at the University of South Carolina Aiken, talked about U.S. campus carbon neutral practices.
The March 10 sessions will focus on offset standards and management, the EPA said.
