Environmental groups protested at a public meeting hosted by Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment claiming that the government’s proposed carbon fee mechanisms favour polluters over the environment.
Activists from the Environmental Rights Foundation, Taiwan Climate Action Network, Green Citizens’ Action Alliance and Citizen of the Earth expressed their opposition to a draft regulation that proposes a minimum threshold of 25,000 metric tonnes of carbon emissions, and companies producing less than that would not pay carbon fees.
They also criticised lower rates for high carbon leakage risk industries and a 15% discount for using carbon credits. Protesters argued these measures distort price signals, encourage polluters, and hinder Taiwan’s progress towards carbon neutrality.
The draft regulation aims to determine the carbon fee rate that needs to be paid by emitters and is scheduled to be announced by the end of August.
