National Development Council (NDC) Minister Yeh Chun Hsien (葉俊顯) stated that, facing the new challenges brought by the global net-zero trend and the AI ​​wave, the government has actively adjusted national carbon reduction targets to move towards the 2050 net-zero emissions goal. He spoke on Friday, August 7, at the 2026 TS Holdings Net Zero Summit, stating that net-zero emissions have moved beyond initiatives to legislation and policy actively promoted by countries around the world.

He pointed out that in response to international trends, the government has proposed the latest version of the NDC 3.0 policy, which, if implemented according to plan, will help achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The latest targets aim to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 28% in 2030, 32% in 2032, and 38% in 2035.

With the gradual implementation of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, increasingly stringent requirements for sustainability disclosure, carbon reduction, operations, supply chain layout, and international competitiveness will all be affected. However, the rapid development of AI is driving huge electricity demand, also creating new opportunities in smart energy, grid management, and energy-saving technologies.

Yeh stated that compared to neighboring Asian countries, Taiwan's current carbon-zero progress is only slightly slower than Japan's and already faster than South Korea's. This demonstrates Taiwan's determination to catch up with the international net-zero trend.

He underscored that, to achieve the carbon reduction target, the NDC, in collaboration with various ministries, has proposed a new action plan focusing on key strategies such as promoting flagship carbon reduction projects and institutional innovations. The plan aims to accelerate the transformation of energy, industry, lifestyles, and society through public-private partnerships, balancing economic growth and carbon reduction targets to create a resilient and competitive green economy.