Facing the Challenges of Global Climate Change and Sustainable Development

In response to the urgent need to enhance carbon sequestration and reduce carbon emissions, the Ministry of the Interior convened a departmental meeting today (5th), during which the National Park Service presented its report on establishing a "National Park Carbon Sequestration Program." Minister Liu Shyh-Fang emphasized that national parks, key wetlands, and coastal areas account for 25.4% of the nation's land and marine conservation areas, making them critical locations for natural carbon sequestration and absorption. To achieve the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the National Park Service will focus on both "increasing sequestration" and "reducing emissions." In the future, the service will also publish quarterly updates on natural carbon sequestration, carbon emissions, and the progress of carbon sequestration and reduction efforts for each national park through the National Park Entry Website. These initiatives aim to actively address the impacts of climate change.

Scientific Governance for a Comprehensive National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report

Currently, Taiwan's national greenhouse gas inventory only includes data on forest carbon sequestration, specifically the emission factors of eight forest types. However, this inventory only accounts for carbon absorption from forests, excluding carbon emissions from forests. Furthermore, data on carbon sequestration from wetlands, oceans, and soils have yet to be included. The National Park Service plays an essential role in carbon sequestration research, governance, and management. To complete the national natural carbon sequestration inventory, the service has initiated scientific studies to conduct baseline surveys of various types of natural carbon sinks, thus contributing to filling the gaps in the national greenhouse gas inventory.

Dual Approach: Managing Carbon Emissions and Collecting Blue and Green Carbon Data

To promote carbon reduction and sequestration actions, the National Park Service is implementing the "National Park Carbon Management Program," conducting carbon audits for the organizational emissions of each National (Nature) Park Headquarters. This includes tracking carbon emissions within the parks, mapping natural carbon sinks, and estimating carbon sequestration. The goal is to develop strategies for reducing emissions and increasing sequestration, making the service a model for auditing organizational carbon sources and natural carbon sinks.

Regarding the critical area of blue carbon, the National Park Service is conducting an important wetland carbon sequestration survey, investigating the sequestration capabilities of inland and artificial wetlands, constructing a framework for wetland reduction methodologies, and analyzing the outcomes of wetland carbon sequestration from previous years. The service aims to continuously improve the carbon sequestration data for various wetland types through ongoing scientific research.

Driving Carbon Sequestration and Reduction Efforts, Partnering with Enterprises' ESG to Accelerate the 2050 Net-Zero Transition

A review of the data shows that the greenhouse gas removal by forests in the National Parks contributes 9.39% of the removal volume of Taiwan’s entire forestry sector, nearly 10%. The National Park Service will continue conducting reforestation efforts in areas affected by invasive species, degraded habitats, fallow lands, and sandbars. Regarding wetland carbon sequestration, the service will also prioritize biodiversity conservation and promote carbon reduction in appropriate locations, such as salt flats and abandoned fish ponds.

At the same time, the National Park Service is actively collaborating with corporations to implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strengthen corporate ESG responsibilities. By integrating corporate social responsibility into national park partnerships, the service aims to expand conservation efforts and capacities. This includes continuous reforestation, planting trees in degraded habitats, and planting trees on coastal sandbars, all of which will not only enhance carbon sequestration, promote environmental education, and protect resources but also elevate Taiwan's corporate image and international visibility, achieving a win-win situation for public-private collaboration. For example, Wan Hai Lines Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Park Service in 2022 to cooperate on the "Reforestation and Maintenance Project." From 2022 to 2030, the company will plant over 400,000 trees across various National (Nature) Parks—including Kenting, Yangmingshan, Taroko, Kinmen, Taijiang, and Shoushan, as well as urban parks in Kaohsiung and Taichung (covering approximately 135 hectares). To date, 26,875 native trees have already been planted, making this collaboration a prime example of the National Park Service's ESG initiatives.

Regarding carbon reduction, the National Park Service and its National Park Headquarters will continue to conduct carbon audits, using biodiversity as a foundational principle. They aim to establish carbon balance sheets for national parks and develop strategies for net-zero emissions in these parks, which will serve as demonstration sites for low-carbon buildings, low-carbon communities, and low-carbon tourism (e.g., promoting eco-friendly agriculture and fisheries, low-carbon accommodations, and green transportation within the parks). Through these efforts in carbon sequestration and reduction, the service seeks to accelerate Taiwan's 2050 net-zero transition and create a healthier, more sustainable ecological environment, preserving natural assets for future generations.