Project Database

Net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere by nature and technology. On April 22, 2021, World Earth Day, President Tsai Ing-wen declared Taiwan's goal to achieve net-zero before 2050. In March 2022, the Taiwanese government released the "Taiwan 2050 Net-Zero Emissions Pathway and Strategy Overview," outlining the trajectory and action plan of the state. However, the government is not the sole actor in the net-zero transition. Public support of the pathway and strategies, and a just transition to reduce social conflicts will significantly influence the possibility of achieving this goal.
The concept of a just transition originates from discussions and reflections on climate change adaptation policies by trade unions and international organizations of labor rights. In order to mitigate climate change, promote net-zero emissions, and reduce social conflicts, the International Labour Organization (ILO) defines a just transition as follows: "Greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind." However, empirical research on the relationship between decarbonization policies and social inequality is scarce in Taiwan’s academic literature. The project will especially focus on the interactions of net-zero policies, social inequality and political supports. How do the social inequalities, such as class, gender, regional and generational gaps shape the preferences and behaviors of Taiwan people on net-zero policies? On the contrary, how the net-zero policies would change the structure of these social inequalities and irritate political conflicts? Considering the historical context of social inequality or political conflicts in different countries, it requires interdisciplinary collaboration among scholars at multiple levels to investigate these vital issues. Therefore, this project combines climate science, economics, political science, and sociology scholars to conduct empirical analysis on the social aspects of net-zero and just transition from three levels: international comparisons, national policies and public opinion surveys, and experimental methods as well as community fieldworks.
a. In the international comparative level, how the economic and gender inequalities (justice) shape the development of green energy and transportation systems? How will the different scenarios of net-zero pathway change the global and domestic distributions of economic inequality? In the national level, how do the social inequalities, such as class, gender, regional and generational gaps shape the preferences of Taiwan people on net-zero policies? In the community level, how do the social inequalities and the discontents influence the development of green energy, transport, taxation policies?
b. According to the idea of a “decarbonization-inequality nexus,” the project will investigate the modelling and empirical associations between decarbonization (net-zero) policies, and social inequality as well as public support (justice) in the global, national, and community levels, especially focus on the local studies in the historical contexts of Taiwan.
c. After the 3-year funding period, the project will examine the possibilities of promoting green energy, transportation, and fiscal systems from just transition perspective in Taiwan.