2019 has come to an end. According to the Meteorological Bureau, Taiwan's average annual temperature last year was 24.56 degrees Celsius, a 0.34-degree increase from the previous year (2018) and the highest since records began in 1947. Global warming not only means warmer winters, but also triggers extreme weather conditions that pose a serious threat to people's lives and property. At the beginning of 2020, the start of a new decade, the Taiwan Disaster Prevention Industry Association issued a joint statement reminding Taiwan that it faces not just climate change but a "climate emergency," requiring immediate action. Peng Qiming, chairman of the Disaster Prevention Industry Association and a weather expert, stated that the government must conduct risk communication with the public, and that both public construction and industrial development must incorporate new disaster risk thinking. Yao Dajun, an enterprise risk management expert, also stated that Taiwan cannot remain aloof. "We are internationally recognized as the region most threatened by extreme climate disasters and must be fully prepared." Several experts and scholars from the Taiwan Disaster Prevention Industry Association warned that Taiwan has officially entered a climate emergency. Photo by Sun Wenlin. In 2019, the Oxford Dictionary selected "climate emergency" from dozens of candidates as its Word of the Year. Oxford Dictionaries found that usage of the term "climate emergency" increased 100 times over the previous year, reflecting the social climate and focus of attention that year, while also possessing long-term cultural significance. Over the past year, hundreds of cities around the world, including New York, have declared a "climate emergency." The European Parliament also officially declared a "climate emergency" in Europe on November 28th. On the same day that US President Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement, over 11,000 scientists from 153 countries around the world jointly issued a declaration declaring a "climate emergency," calling on all countries to take immediate action. The shift from "climate change" to "climate emergency" is not just a shift in noun usage; it also reflects the severity of the situation and the proactive approach governments and international organizations are taking in addressing extreme weather events. Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations and is often excluded from international conventions. However, no one can remain immune from global climate change. According to data from the Central Weather Bureau, Taiwan's average annual temperature set three record highs between 2015 and 2019, accounting for five of Taiwan's six warmest years. Peng Qiming pointed out that global carbon dioxide concentrations currently exceed 410 ppm and continue to rise. Based on current trends, "CO2 concentrations will reach 450 ppm by 2036, representing a 2°C temperature increase." The average annual temperature at Taiwan's flatland stations from 1947 to 2019 has risen significantly in recent years. Image courtesy of the Weather Risk Management and Development Corporation. In addition to warning Taiwan of a climate emergency, the Taiwan Disaster Prevention Industry Association also put forward specific recommendations, including the swift establishment of national carbon reduction targets, the setting of a carbon neutrality schedule, the transition to a low-carbon society, and the development of a low-carbon industrial chain. Land management and utilization in the four major areas of land conservation, agricultural development, urban and rural development, and marine resources must incorporate adaptation and mitigation factors into national land planning. In addition, the legal system for disaster prevention should be thoroughly reviewed, and a comprehensive legal system for disaster prevention should be established for disaster relief, large-scale earthquakes, floods, and slope disasters. The Central Disaster Prevention and Relief Committee should be established to handle the country's long-term planning for responding to climate emergencies, while also ensuring full coordination and division of labor with the private sector. "The private sector must also actively consider how to face the impact of the climate emergency on itself, its supply chain, and the market, and invest resources in establishing mid- and long-term adaptation and response solutions." Yao Dajun, chief director of ERM, an enterprise risk management company, said that in the face of a climate emergency, existing thinking must be changed, and past industrial models will also be impacted. "But if you don't do it today, you will regret it tomorrow. The emergency is already a fact. Even if you don't want to face it, disasters will still happen." He said that as the region in the world most threatened by climate disasters, Taiwan can only minimize disasters by preparing early. Source: Environmental Information Center
