Greenpeace releases latest report today, summarizing carbon reduction progress of Top 20 carbon emitters in Taiwan, including TSMC, Innolux, CSC, and Formosa Plastics. The report finds that 80% of these companies have not met the UN-recommended carbon reduction targets. Apart from TSMC, only one company among the remaining 19 has achieved a satisfactory level of renewable energy usage. Greenpeace urges carbon emitters to align with international carbon reduction trends and promptly invest in self-consumption of green energy, taking up their carbon reduction responsibilities.

Most Companies Lag Behind Net Zero Goals, Falling Short on Carbon Reduction Progress

According to Greenpeace's statistics, these top 20 carbon emitters accounted for approximately 43.82% of the national carbon emissions in 2022. The list includes five companies from the 'ICT industry,' such as TSMC, Innolux, Micron Taiwan, AU Optronics, and UMC, as well as fifteen companies from the 'traditional industry,' such as CSC, Formosa Plastics, and CPC Corporation.

In response to the carbon reduction targets set by various companies, Mr. Xu , the Climate and Energy Project Manager at Greenpeace, analyzed that most companies have medium to long-term carbon reduction goals, but not all of them fully align with the recommended 43% emission reduction target for 2030 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), indicating a need for improvement. Micron Taiwan, in particular, lacks a net zero target for 2050, making it the only one among the 20 companies that fails to meet the criteria.

The IPCC recommends reducing global carbon emissions by 43% compared to 2019 levels by 2030 to limit the temperature rise to 1.5°C, requiring an average annual reduction of 3.9%. Greenpeace's analysis of the annual average carbon emission change from 2019 to 2022 indicates that 80% of the top carbon emitters have not achieved the recommended reduction target, with traditional industries showing particularly passive carbon reduction efforts.

Regarding the use of renewable energy, Greenpeace's statistics indicate that most companies lack clear targets for renewable energy usage, with only a few ICT companies setting relatively proactive goals by joining the RE100 initiative. However, in terms of actual renewable energy usage, most companies are rated with a red light, with usage rates below 2%. Only TSMC has achieved a usage rate of 5% and received a yellow light, but it still falls behind the recommended values by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Greenpeace emphasizes that over 80% of carbon emissions in the ICT industry come from electricity consumption, yet the overall proportion of renewable energy usage is very low, resulting in a rise in carbon emissions instead of reduction. Currently, TSMC, AU Optronics, and UMC have committed to the RE100 goal, but except for TSMC, the actual proportion of renewable energy usage for other companies in 2022 was below 0.2%. Among them, Taiwan Micron showed the poorest performance, with no progress or goals planned for the use of renewable energy.

Greenpeace urges that while the demand for green electricity in the ICT industry is growing annually, progress towards renewable energy goals is slow. Therefore, it is essential to swiftly invest in self-consumption of green electricity, increase the use of renewable energy, and take responsibility for their energy consumption. Additionally, to enhance sustainable competitiveness and fulfill environmental and social responsibilities, ICT companies should follow the example set by international corporations like Google or Apple, which have set a goal to use 100% renewable energy by 2030.

For the first time, this report includes an evaluation of biodiversity and the cultivation of green talents. Greenpeace points out that climate change is causing rapid loss of biodiversity, and carbon emitters must take responsibility to mitigate this impact. However, the statistics reveal that most companies lack commitments or actions in this regard. Only TSMC and Taiwan Cement adhere to the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework, conducting regular monitoring and conservation actions, earning the only two green lights.

In addition, to effectively plan and implement climate action, Greenpeace also calls on carbon emitters to assess the green talent gap required for transition, plan training programs, and ensure employees are equipped with the skills needed for net-zero transformation. Apart from Taiwan Cement, China Steel, and AU Optronics, companies generally lack sufficient emphasis on cultivating green talent, with inadequate training, which could result in talent shortages during the net-zero transition process.

Source: Environmental Information Center