A new report claims that the economic performance of gasoline and diesel is in an "irreversible decline," demanding that production costs fall to $10-20 per barrel to effectively compete with renewable energy vehicles. The report concludes that over the next 25 years, gasoline cars will cost 6.2 to 7 times more to achieve the same mileage as electric vehicles. BNP Paribas Asset Management states that the economic situation for gasoline and diesel vehicles is in a "relentless and irreversible decline, with long-term impacts on policymakers and oil tycoons." The analysis focuses on how much energy can be generated per unit of capital input. Assuming a barrel of crude oil at $60, the report states that wind and solar-powered electric vehicles can generate 6 to 7 times more "energy at wheels" than gasoline, and 3 to 4 times more than diesel. For diesel to remain price-competitive in transportation, its long-term price must be between $17 and $19 per barrel, while gasoline needs to be between $9 and $10 per barrel. The report considers the findings "a flashing red light on the oil industry's dashboard," adding, "We believe oil tycoons should accelerate capital investment in renewable energy and energy storage technologies, and/or increase dividends to shareholders to mitigate the risk of redundant investment." "Our analysis clearly concludes that if we were to rebuild the global energy system from scratch, economic factors alone would dictate that road infrastructure would be built on wind and solar-powered electric vehicles." "And that's before we factor in the advantages of other renewable energy sources and electric vehicles over oil."

Formosa 1, Taiwan's first commercial-scale offshore wind farm, announced today (September 9) that the first turbine of its second phase of construction began trial operation last Thursday (September 5). The second phase comprises 20 turbines, which are expected to undergo trial operation over the next two months, serving as a warm-up for official commercial operation at the end of the year. Formosa 1 is located approximately 2-6 kilometers off the coast of Miaoli County in northwestern Taiwan, and consists of 22 turbines, constructed in two phases. The first phase, installing two 4MW turbines for a total of 8MW, was completed in October 2016 and began commercial operation in April 2017. The second phase, installing 20 6MW turbines for a total of 120MW, commenced construction in May of this year. Formosa 1 is expected to complete commercial operation by the end of the year, with a total installed capacity of 128MW, generating enough electricity to power 128,000 households annually. Ocean Wind Power stated that of the 20 wind turbines in the second phase, 10 have been installed, with 6 of them entering the trial operation phase. Trial operation is the final step before the completion of the offshore wind farm. Each turbine needs to complete 10 to 14 days of power generation testing; if everything goes smoothly during the testing period, it can be prepared for commercial operation. Taiwan's offshore wind power adopts a three-phase strategy: "demonstration first, potential second, and block third." Ocean Wind Power belongs to the first phase, the demonstration wind farm. Upon completion at the end of the year, Taiwan's offshore wind power will advance from the current two turbines to a complete wind farm, hence the significance of this trial operation.

Shen Jong-chin: No Power Shortages by 2030 In response to concerns raised by the Chinese National Federation of Industries regarding potential power shortages due to green energy policies, Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin stated today (20th) that there will be no power shortages by 2030. This includes consideration of the demand from major semiconductor manufacturers, the return of Taiwanese businesses, and the development of electric vehicles. The Ministry of Economic Affairs estimates a reserve capacity rate of 15%. Furthermore, with the initial development of green energy, the original 2025 power generation energy mix of 20% renewable energy, 30% coal, and 50% natural gas may be slightly adjusted. Speaking at the "2019 International Forum on Energy Transition and Green Economy," Shen Jong-chin pointed out that the Ministry of Economic Affairs has already explored power planning towards 2030. The basic proportion of natural gas should remain unchanged. However, as green energy technologies mature, Taiwan may adjust its power generation energy mix, similar to other countries. Shen Jong-chin further pointed out that due to concerns about coal, the future power generation energy mix will primarily consist of renewable energy and natural gas. Furthermore, under the premise of stable power supply, the number of coal-fired power plants will be gradually reduced in principle. Shen Jong-chin stated that the semiconductor industry will be the largest electricity consumer in Taiwan in the future, including TSMC's 5nm, 3nm, and 2nm processes, as well as the electricity consumption of major technology companies such as Winbond, Powerchip, and Micron. The electricity consumption of approximately 2.6 trillion NT dollars invested in semiconductors has also been taken into consideration. In addition, the return of Taiwanese businesses to Taiwan, vehicle electrification, and economic growth rate have also been taken into account. Shen Jong-chin stated that it currently appears that by 2020...

Japan Plans to Develop International Standards for Marine Biodegradable Plastics Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) plans to propose to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the coming years to develop international standards for "marine biodegradable plastics" in order to maintain the competitiveness of Japanese companies in this field. According to a report in the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, the Japanese government recently met with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the Japan Biodegradable Plastics Association, and several related companies to discuss the scientific data and technical foundations needed for the issuance of ISO standards. Since countries such as Germany and Italy are also developing ISO standards, Japan, as one of the leading countries in biodegradable plastics, naturally does not want to fall behind and hopes to achieve differentiation through the development of ISO standards to enhance the competitiveness of Japanese companies. "Marine biodegradable plastics," as the name suggests, are plastic materials that can be naturally decomposed by microorganisms in the ocean. The industry expects this to significantly reduce the time plastic waste remains in the ocean. In Japan, major companies such as Mitsubishi Chemical and Kaneka Chemical are leading the development of this technology. Every year, more than 8 million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean. According to estimates by the Sankei Shimbun, by 2050, 8 million tons of plastic waste will be discharged into the ocean.

87 of the world's largest companies pledge to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050, leading the charge towards the 1.5°C target. At the opening of Climate Week in New York on the 23rd, hosted by UN Secretary-General Gurest, 87 of the world's largest companies announced their participation in the "Business Ambition for 1.5°C — Our Only Future" initiative, pledging to meet scientists' warnings about global warming and avoid allowing their operations to contribute to the severe consequences of climate change. As the UN Climate Action Summit opened, protesters gathered in New York City. Photo by Pamela Drew (CC BY-NC 2.0). These 87 companies, representing 28 industries, have a combined market capitalization exceeding $2.3 trillion, employ 4.2 million people, and are headquartered in 27 countries. Their annual direct carbon emissions are equivalent to those of 73 coal-fired power plants. Their action is in response to the call in June by leaders of several businesses, civil society and the United Nations to set climate targets for the entire business operation and value chain to help limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and achieve "zero net emissions" by 2050. In July, a total of 28 companies joined, and now this number has more than tripled. Well-known companies that have joined include Electrolux, Ericsson Group, IKEA, Nestlé, Nokia, Schneider Electric, Burberry, Novo Nordisk, Orsted, Daidaijing, etc. The latest companies that announced their participation on the 22nd include HP,

The European Union has launched a new action plan to protect global forests. On July 23, the European Commission issued a new action plan for the protection and restoration of the world's forests. Forests support 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, sustain 25% of the world's population, and play a crucial role in addressing climate change. The new EU action plan aims to address supply and demand issues by strengthening international cooperation with stakeholders and member states, promoting sustainable forest financing, better utilizing land and resources, sustainably creating jobs and managing supply chains, and implementing more focused research and data collection measures. The new approach includes assessing potential new regulatory measures to minimize deforestation and forest degradation caused by EU consumption. "Forests are the lungs of the Earth, and we must care for them as we care for our own lungs," said Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President for Sustainable Development. "We cannot achieve our climate goals without protecting the world's forests." Timmermans stated, "The world's most important primary forests are not located on EU territory, but as individuals, our policy choices can have a significant impact. Today, we are sending an important message to citizens and partners worldwide: the EU is prepared to play a leading role in this area over the next five years and beyond." Timmermans was involved in climate action during his campaign for President of the European Commission. (Photo credit: European Commission) Prior to this notification, the EU had conducted extensive consultations and discussions with stakeholders regarding deforestation, forest degradation, and potential EU actions, including two such consultations in 2014 and 2017.

A World-End Prediction: IPCC Special Report: Humanity Faces a Warmer, More Acidic, Less Oxygenated, Less Fishy, ​​and Higher Sea Levels. The world's most authoritative climate science community released a special report on the 25th, titled "The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate." Scientists warn that in the worst-case scenario, sea levels will rise by one meter by the end of this century, and 80% of smaller glaciers worldwide will disappear into the sea, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events such as strong typhoons. Scholars remind us that facing the impact of the climate crisis on human habitation, we can no longer rely on traditional engineering methods; how people "adapt" and improve "resilience" requires education to adjust to new ways of thinking. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate gathers a wealth of scientific evidence to explore how climate change affects marine, coastal, polar, and mountain ecosystems, and how to strengthen the "resilience" of natural ecosystems and human societies to cope with the risks brought by climate change. Delta Electronics Education Foundation held a media salon today (26th), inviting experts to analyze the significance of this report. The IPCC reports have always been the authoritative source of information on climate change and the foundation for the international community's understanding of climate change and related issues. The IPCC held its 51st session in Monaco from the 20th to the 23rd and released the "SROCC Special Report" on the 25th. Zhang Yanggan, CEO of the foundation, stated that the SRO...

Rising sea levels pose a life-or-death threat to Singapore. Lee Hsien Loong has launched a 2 trillion "100-year plan" to combat climate change. To mitigate rising sea levels caused by climate change, Singapore, surrounded by the sea, announced last month that it would invest 100 billion Singapore dollars (approximately NT$2.26 trillion) over the next 100 years to build coastal defenses. In his National Day speech on the 18th of last month, Lee Hsien Loong described climate change as one of the most severe challenges facing humanity. Located in Southeast Asia, Singapore is already feeling the effects of global warming, bringing with it scorching temperatures and heavy rains. "As a low-lying island, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to a serious threat: rising sea levels," he said. Although Singapore's original urban planning requires that buildings must be built at least 3 meters above the average sea level and a 1-meter buffer zone be reserved to cope with high tides, global warming has caused the sea level to rise by 1 meter, prompting the authorities to decide that new projects must be built at least 4 meters above sea level, and related facilities such as the new Changi Airport Terminal 5 must be built at least 5 meters above sea level. Another option is to follow the Dutch experience of building polders (Polder) to reclaim land and connect the islands in the sea with dams to form a freshwater reservoir as a rainwater drainage system. Lee Hsien Loong said that the impact of climate change will be a problem that will last for 50 to 100 years, so the authorities must come up with a plan that can be implemented for 50 to 100 years. Lee Hsien Loong also linked climate change defense work with national defense.

Russia, the world's fourth-largest emitter, has formally ratified the climate agreement, bringing an end to months of international tensions on the issue. Ruslan Edelgeriev, the president's climate advisor, told the UN climate summit in New York before listing the country's climate contributions: "The Russian Federation has accepted the Paris Climate Agreement and become a formal participant in this international agreement." "Compared to the 1990 baseline, Russia has played a leading role in greenhouse gas reduction, and we have reduced our total emissions by nearly half during this period. That's equivalent to 41 billion tons of CO2 equivalent, or a full year's cumulative emissions globally." This baseline corresponds to the former Soviet Union and its industrial collapse, making it a relatively easy benchmark to demonstrate success. Edelgeriev stated, "Russia is making another huge contribution to combating CO2 and CO2 sequestration, although this contribution is not reflected in the data, it is a key factor. That is Russia's northern forests." Despite his attempts to get the resolution to parliament, months of lobbying from businesses and representatives swayed President Putin to bypass the cabinet and ratify the agreement through a government decree. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the government decree that day. The country's climate commitment is notoriously weak, described as "extremely inadequate" by climate action trackers. Climate policy observers in the country, however, welcomed the decision. Alexey Kokorin, Director of Climate Issues for Russia at the World Wildlife Fund, said, "For Russian society, the region..."

The Menteri Besar Kedah Incorporated (MBI Kedah) has unveiled a green and renewable energy blueprint for Kedah, aiming to develop the state's green industries and encourage investors to invest in renewable energy. The Kedah state government anticipates attracting RM6 billion in investment over the next 10 years and achieving 2,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy production by 2030. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir stated that the blueprint, developed in collaboration with Cypark Resource Berhad, outlines four key elements: solar energy, biogas, biomass, and hydropower. Malaysia's proximity to the equator allows for the collection of up to 3,000 watts of solar energy per square meter per hour. Local governments can collect agricultural waste, such as rice husks and oil palm fruit, to produce biogas and biomass; for example, rice husks can produce 30% to 50% organic carbon. Kedah has a lot of agricultural waste, especially from oil palm mills and rice paddies, which can be effectively used to produce renewable energy through technological expertise.

Six European investment banks, including the European Investment Bank (EIB), have jointly invested €10 billion to promote the circular economy within the European Union. They aim to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and circular economy through loans and investments. The Joint Initiative on Circular Economy (JICE), established by these six national investment banks, plans to invest at least €10 billion over the next five years (2019-2023) to support the development and implementation of EU circular economy projects and programs, promoting waste reduction, improving resource efficiency, and driving innovative solutions to achieve circular economy goals. The banks will leverage their financial expertise and capabilities to provide financing, equity investment, or guarantees for eligible projects through the JICE program. Targets are not limited by size and can include public sector entities, private enterprises, or research institutions. This investment targets all stages of the entire value chain, such as considering waste reduction or even zero waste generation at the end of the product lifecycle from the initial product design stage; extending product lifespan through maintenance and reuse during the product use stage; and aiming for material recycling or utilization for heat generation after product use. Simultaneously, this investment project will leverage information technology (ICT) and digitalization to strengthen the implementation of circular economy strategies. EIB President Werner Hoyer