Climate change has become a globally recognized issue, bringing many negative impacts to the natural environment and biodiversity, including extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and depletion of natural resources. In response to the international trends of achieving net-zero emissions and sustainable development, the Environmental Protection Bureau of Chiayi City has initiated the "2023 Chiayi City Low Carbon Sustainable Habitat Implementation Plan." The plan includes five major projects: "Conducting Climate Change Response-related Operations," "Promoting Low Carbon Sustainable Habitat-related Business," "Promoting Locally Appropriate Low Carbon Actions," "Assisting in Advocating Solar Photovoltaic Systems," and "Other Coordinated Efforts."
The summary of implementation results is as follows:
1. Conducting Climate Change Response-related Operations
To achieve the city's goals of greenhouse gas reduction and net-zero emissions by 2050, the city has organized events such as government and school workshops on greenhouse gas reduction, greenhouse gas inventory training courses, offsetting explanation sessions, and a civic café named "Towards Energy Transition: Green Energy Public Participation." These events aim to help participants understand the greenhouse gas inventory process, formulate corresponding greenhouse gas reduction strategies or plans based on their emissions, and gather opinions from various stakeholders. This contributes to the planning and implementation of relevant policies for low-carbon adaptation and sustainability in the city.
2. Promoting Low Carbon Sustainable Habitat-related Business
To encourage residents to implement energy-saving and carbon reduction actions in their daily lives, the city has conducted two demonstrations of low-carbon sustainable habitat activities in neighborhoods certified at the copper level or above. Additionally, efforts have been made to guide certified villages in sustaining low-carbon actions and assist five neighborhoods in implementing new low-carbon sustainable projects. These projects have resulted in an increase of approximately 103.13 square meters in green beautification areas, sequestering around 30.94 kg CO2e; recycling 20 kg of waste, reducing emissions by about 15.58 kg CO2e. Furthermore, assistance has been provided to four neighborhoods participating in low-carbon sustainable habitat certification, resulting in one silver certification and three copper certifications.
3. Promoting Locally Appropriate Low Carbon Actions
The city has assisted 12 primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in participating in the "Chiayi City Low Carbon Campus Certification Implementation Plan." In the current year (2023), five schools achieved "gold certification," seven schools achieved "silver certification," and assistance has been provided to four schools in establishing water resource recycling and reuse systems. These systems can annually recycle approximately 232,875 liters of water, resulting in a reduction of about 36.323 metric tons of CO2e.
4. Assisting in Advocating Solar Photovoltaic Systems
In alignment with the national long-term greenhouse gas reduction vision, the city, focusing on renewable energy, has organized three seminars on the promotion of solar photovoltaic systems, two site surveys of potential solar photovoltaic areas, and one cross-county observation meeting. These efforts aim to enhance public awareness and willingness to install solar photovoltaic systems, ultimately increasing the city's share of renewable energy and creating a low-carbon, sunny home.
5. Other Coordinated Efforts
Through the publication of six press releases and twelve Facebook posts, the city has promoted the implementation of low-carbon actions in daily life. The ongoing encouragement of public participation in low-carbon sustainable activities serves to publicize the city's achievements in energy conservation and carbon reduction, thereby enhancing the city's international visibility.
