Taiwan, the U.S., and Japan worked together to find common ground on how the three countries can contribute to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges the world faces, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. As the world continues to face transnational challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the international community must work together through multilateral efforts to implement SDGs.
Entitled “Building Resilience and Accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Through Technology,” the workshop focused on how technology can be employed to strengthen resilience and advance SDGs, according to a statement of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).
As Asia’s “Silicon Island,” Taiwan is a central node of the globe’s semiconductor ecosystem and a cutting-edge pioneer on emerging technologies ranging from 5G-ORAN to artificial intelligence. Taiwan is also dedicated to using these technologies for the common good. The event underscored the many ways Taiwan can use its tech prowess to help the world address shared challenges despite not participating in international organisations such as the World Health Assembly.
With the increasing depletion of the earth’s resources, countries worldwide are more determined about green industrial policies, including Taiwan that focused on the green industrial chain. The core values are “sustainable living,” “sustainable energy,” and “sustainable resources” tied in with “new agriculture,” “green energy technology,” “circular economy,” and “workplace safety” that reflect the four aspects of life.
Taiwan has improved in the effective use of resources and international industrial competitive advantage and also its transformation into a circular technology island. Taiwan has potential in circular technologies and applications. These include marine debris recycling, carbon capture, and design for disassembly solar panels for clean water, air, and sunlight. With circular technology applications, Taiwan can increase its industrial competitive advantage and preserve natural resources for sustainable living on this island.
Taiwan’s government has made the 5+2 Innovative Industries Plan its “industrial transformation” blueprint. The plan encompasses: 1) biomedicine, 2) clean energy, 3) smart machinery, 4) defence industries and aerospace, 5) new agritech, 6) circular economy, and 7) the Asia Silicon Valley project. While these are related to next-generation, knowledge-based industries, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), they also stress sustainability.
Leveraging its success in tackling COVID-19, Taiwan should make sustainable development its core value and overarching goal, integrated into every aspect of the economy. Taiwan’s success in fighting the coronavirus demonstrates the value of social capital (an excellent public health system and highly cooperative social infrastructure) together with human capital (a well-educated, well-disciplined, and law-abiding citizenry). These are among the same critical resources that could propel the Taiwan economy to succeed in its sustainability transformation.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, in the process of developing smart cities, Taiwan has begun to explore ways to combine technology with commerce to create a new green economy while finding a new powerful engine for the industry and cities in support of international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately, Taiwan aims to build urban resilience and usher into a new era of urban and environmental sustainability.
In the face of energy scarcity, global warming and natural disasters, Taiwan strives to create a sustainable, smart, and green country using in-house technology solutions. The Taiwanese central and local governments and industries have been working closely together to build a new economy that not only is environmental friendly but also is conducive to economic development.
Amid the construction of a resilient city, high-tech becomes a driving force to enhance sustainable earth development and smart city planning. At present, the Taiwan Smart City Project has fostered about 300 Taiwanese companies to develop more than 220 smart services across 22 counties and cities in Taiwan, benefiting up to 8.54 million people.
