IV) Ensure Equitable Development Across Generations

No. Action Competent Authority Timetable Key Performance Indicator

statistics on accelerated examination for green patent cases.

130 Strengthen the quality of green patents. Ministry of Economic Affairs 2022 Regularly publish statistics on the approval or rejection of accelerated examination for green patent cases.

(IV) Ensure Equitable Development Across Generations

In response to global climate change, to promote the reduction of greenhouse gases, and make greenhouse gas reduction more effective, many environmental and human rights groups have called for an end to inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. The Glasgow Climate Pact of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP26) has also urged countries to gradually reduce inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.

Energy-saving, the development of alternative energy, and net-zero carbon emissions are not only a global development trend but also a part of Taiwan’s declared goal of transitioning to net-zero emissions by 2050. Taiwan plans to promote low-carbon-zero-carbon and energy-industry net-zero emissions transition structures, promoting green energy and carbon reduction technology to achieve low carbon emissions in the short-term and transitioning from low-carbon to zero-carbon through alternative energy, circular economy, and carbon capture and storage technology in the long-term to achieve net-zero emissions.

In the past, subsidy measures have been implemented to assist with: maintaining Taiwan’s rate of food self-sufficiency; fishery competitiveness; a stable energy supply; safeguarding the survival of groups vulnerable to climate disasters and energy use rights; encouraging the reduction of pollution; and developing public transportation. There were also suggestions to include external costs in electricity prices. Under the global trend of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is constructive to reduce subsidies for inefficient projects and encourage development towards renewable energy and non-fossil fuel consumption. At the same time, however, special attention must be paid to the needs of disadvantaged groups, equitable resource allocation, and relevant alternatives, in order to safeguard overall human rights protection.

No. Action Competent Authority Timetable Key Performance Indicator

131 Ensure electricity tariffs reasonably reflect external costs. Ministry of Economic Affairs 2022 1. Take stock of the external costs already reflected in the current electricity tariffs.

2. Propose mechanisms for the electricity tariffs to reflect future additional external costs.

132 Developing alternative plans to progressively remove fossil fuels subsidy.

Council of Agriculture, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Economic Affairs 2024 1. Reassess the legal basis for fossil fuel subsidy and conduct an impact assessment on the suspension of its removal.

2. Develop a plan for viable alternatives to remove such subsidy.