President Donald Trump has officially withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time, signing an executive order and notifying the UN on his first day in office. Trump also announced plans to end the "Green New Deal," revoke subsidies for electric vehicles, and ramp up oil and natural gas extraction. The decision has raised concerns about its effect on global carbon reduction progress, with Taiwan closely monitoring future developments.
In an interview with Rti on Tuesday, Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) said that Trump’s similar decision in his previous term slowed international carbon reduction efforts but did not alter the overall trend toward decarbonization. He adds that while short-term adjustments are inevitable, the overall trend toward carbon reduction will not change.
Peng says that despite changes in U.S. federal policy, the rapid development of carbon reduction efforts and related climate technology industries in the U.S. private sector remains at the forefront globally. Given Taiwan’s key role in the global supply chain, he believes further developments must be closely monitored as the changes may be short-term. He emphasizes that although Taiwan needs to respond to the current situation, the climate crisis, including global warming and U.S. forest wildfires, will not diminish.