Taiwan’s Energy Policy: Climate Protection Takes Second Place

Taiwan’s energy policy has always been set to ensure a secure supply of cheap energy. Although the question of reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been discussed since the nineties and although the government has set some goals to reduce these emissions, there has been very little success. Now rapidly rising energy prices, as well as the country’s almost 100 percent dependence on energy imports, have become a strong motive to reduce energy consumption. The new government under president Ma Ying-jeou has come out with a new iniative that combines energy policy with climate protection. But the announced measures are half-hearted at best. A decoupling of economic growth and energy consumption, which is crucial for the world climate, does not seem to be achievable in the near future unless the government decides on stronger action.