China's 13th Five-Year Plan for Energy Raises Low-Carbon Targets Again. China's 13th Five-Year Plan for Energy is perhaps one of the most closely watched energy development blueprints in the world. It will have a profound impact on China's carbon footprint over the next five years, given that it is the world's second-largest economy and largest carbon emitter. On January 5, 2017, the National Energy Administration of China finally released this highly anticipated plan, which includes a series of 2020 targets covering everything from total energy consumption to wind power capacity. One noteworthy point is that through the 13th Five-Year Plan for Energy, China may have once again raised its low-carbon ambitions, highlighting the urgent need for this smog-ridden country to achieve energy transition. Last March (2016), China released the "Outline of the 13th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2016-2020)," which included a series of climate and energy targets, such as setting an energy consumption ceiling and increasing the proportion of non-fossil fuels in the domestic primary energy mix to 15%. If we view this "top-level plan" as China's comprehensive development plan for the next five years (2016-2020), then the 13th Five-Year Plan for Energy is a "sub-plan" in the energy sector. This plan will include more specific objectives, thereby guiding policy-making, public spending, and project planning in the energy sector. The Chinese government has already clearly outlined many goals for 2020 in the "Energy Development Strategy Action Plan (2014-2020)" and the 13th Five-Year Plan.

Greenpeace Releases "Click to Green Report": Acer, ASUS, and Baidu Included in Global Ranking. To accelerate the development of renewable energy among businesses, Greenpeace released the "Click to Green Report" on the 19th, comparing the use of renewable energy in the global and Taiwanese ICT industries. The results found that Taiwan's ICT industry has significantly improved its energy information transparency, outperforming well-known companies such as Amazon and Baidu. Tsai Szu-ting, Greenpeace's Renewable Energy Project Director, stated, "Energy information transparency is a crucial first step in developing renewable energy, and Taiwan's ICT industry has made significant progress, which is commendable." However, in areas such as renewable energy use, procurement, and advocacy, Taiwan's ICT industry still lags far behind international brands like Apple and Google. In response, Tsai specifically mentioned the recently passed amendment to the Electricity Act, which allows for the direct sale of renewable energy to users. Tsai stated that this important opening allows companies to conduct "Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)," with businesses taking the lead in accelerating the development of Taiwan's renewable energy trading market. This will not only enhance the international trade competitiveness of businesses but also allow Taiwan to move towards becoming a green energy powerhouse! The "Click Green Report" assessment criteria include five main aspects: energy information transparency, renewable energy commitment, energy efficiency and carbon reduction, renewable energy procurement, and initiatives. The assessment results are graded A, B, C, D, and F, with A representing the best performance and F indicating a failure in specific areas.

Circular Economy Initiatives Generate $8 Billion in Revenue for Businesses. According to an industry survey conducted by the US-based sustainability consultancy Pure Strategies, large companies implementing circular economy initiatives and improving resource efficiency earned over $8 billion more in 2015 compared to their peers. The survey results show that corporate sustainability actions can deeply embed a brand in the public consciousness, thereby boosting sales, motivating employees, and reducing risk and costs. These large brands that have profited from implementing sustainability initiatives will invest more in sustainability projects in the future to build a sustainable corporate image. Pure Strategies invited 153 globally renowned companies with annual revenues of at least $250 million to complete this industry survey questionnaire, spanning industries such as food and beverage, apparel and footwear, biotechnology and medical products, electronics and appliances, home care and cleaning, personal care and cosmetics, and department stores. The corporate sustainability initiatives in the questionnaire included actions related to climate change, resource efficiency and the circular economy, sustainable agriculture, and chemical substance management. Of the surveyed companies, 43% increased revenue by more than $1 million by implementing sustainability initiatives, while 45% saved manufacturing costs by promoting resource and productivity efficiency improvement programs. Clorox, a major American household cleaning brand, implemented a sustainability improvement project in 2008, and by the end of 2015, had saved $15 million in manufacturing costs. Respondents also pointed out the importance of product innovation, green design and development, and corporate sustainability.

China successfully launched its first carbon monitoring satellite, enhancing its international voice. Following the worst and longest-lasting smog affecting nearly 15% of China's territory, including Beijing and North China, China successfully launched a global carbon dioxide monitoring scientific experimental satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Chinese officials stated that the satellite launch aims to enhance China's voice on international climate change and to make its voice heard in global carbon dioxide monitoring. China is the world's largest carbon emitter, and with this successful launch, it joins the ranks of countries possessing such satellites after the United States and Japan. Experts say this carbon satellite will enable China to initially establish the capability to monitor atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations in key regions and even globally. This is China's first scientific experimental satellite for monitoring global atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Utilizing hyperspectral and high spatial resolution carbon dioxide detectors, multispectral cloud and aerosol detectors, and other equipment, the satellite regularly acquires global carbon dioxide distribution maps through a ground-based data receiving, processing, and verification system. This will also enhance China's voice on international climate change. Li Jiahong, chief engineer of the National Remote Sensing Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, said that the carbon satellite is a major mission deployed to address global climate change and enhance China's global carbon dioxide monitoring capabilities. Li stated that the satellite is of great significance in enhancing China's voice on international climate change issues. He told Chinese media that the satellite will undergo approximately six months of on-orbit testing after launch. In the future, China will cooperate with domestic and international partners as appropriate.

Taiwanese Investors Rank 7th Globally in Corporate Social Responsibility (ESG) Attention, Japanese Companies Rank Low? Schroders' Chief Marketing Officer, Hsieh Cheng-huang, stated that while the level of importance varies across countries, using a company's ESG attitude as an investment criterion has clearly become a new investment trend. Statistics show that companies that prioritize ESG generally outperform those that don't. According to the survey results, investors in emerging markets place greater emphasis on ESG investment concepts than those in developed countries. The survey ranked investors in 28 countries worldwide based on their level of attention to five options: "good corporate governance," "good social responsibility record," "positive environmental impact," "positive social impact on the local area," and "positive social impact globally." Investors in emerging markets almost single-handedly occupied the top 10 spots, including eight countries such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia. Taiwan ranked 7th, higher than the global average, while developed countries like Japan, Sweden, and the UK ranked near the bottom. However, Hsieh Cheng-huang clarified that while investors in developed countries may seem to place the least emphasis on ESG issues, this is actually because the concept is deeply ingrained in their thinking. Jessica Ground, Global Head of Supervision at Schroders Investment Management, believes that European countries have enacted extensive environmental legislation, and European investors are largely seen as being at the forefront of the ESG investment trend. Furthermore, although European investors' average scores are lower than the global average, Europe currently accounts for over 60% of the total investment amount using ESG as an investment concept globally, demonstrating the strong presence of European investors.

Flame retardants regulated by the Stockholm Convention were found in recycled plastic toys. In 1995, the United Nations Environment Programme called for necessary global action against persistent organic pollutants (POPs), defined as "chemical substances that are present or accumulate in the bodies of plants and animals and that circulate in the natural environment over a long period of time and are harmful to humans." Subsequently, the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (ITS) and the International Programme for Chemical Safety (IPC) compiled an assessment of 12 chemicals that pose the greatest environmental threat. On May 17, 2004, the initial 128 bodies and 151 signatory states ratified the Convention, which officially entered into force. They jointly signed an agreement to ban nine POPs. The Convention also agreed that it could be reviewed and supplemented if new chemicals met certain criteria for persistence and transboundary threats. On May 8, 2009, at the Convention conference in Geneva, a new batch of chemicals were added to the Convention for regulation. A recent survey by the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) revealed several flame retardants listed in the Stockholm Convention in children's toys made from recycled plastics purchased from 26 countries. These toys were largely made from recycled plastic casings from electronic and electrical products, and the detected flame retardants included octabromodiphenyl ether (octaBDE) and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBED).