Project Database

This project addresses the urgent sustainability science challenge of how small offshore islands—such as Taiwan‵s Lyudao (Green Island)—can realistically transition to net-zero emissions despite increasing climate risks and limited local capacities. These islands are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on external resources, inadequate infrastructure, and exposure to environmental threats like marine heatwaves, typhoons, and rising sea levels. Current net-zero transition frameworks in Taiwan rarely incorporate ocean-based carbon sinks or integrate ecological resilience and local community engagement, creating significant gaps in national climate strategies.
Our primary objective is to create an integrated, science-based, community-focused model for net-zero transformation specifically designed for small island contexts. The innovation arises from the transdisciplinary integration of four key areas: (1) estimating carbon sinks based on nature-based solutions, (2) assessing ecosystem health and resilience through long-term ecological research, (3) evaluating renewable energy potential and planning for a net-zero transition, and (4) facilitating social communication for net-zero at the island scale.
The initiative, using Lyudao as a pilot site, brings together specialists in ecology, energy policy, environmental sociology, and climate adaptation to collaboratively formulate adaptive, evidence-driven strategies for sustainability on the island. If it achieves its goals, the project is expected to have substantial long-term impacts on sustainable development from scientific and policy standpoints. Scientifically, it will establish a comprehensive model in Taiwan that integrates ecosystem-based carbon accounting with socio-technical planning for energy transitions. On the policy side, it will generate effective and replicable frameworks for transforming islands to achieve net-zero emissions, which can be applied not only to Lyudao but also to other offshore islands in Taiwan. Tools developed by the project—including island-scale carbon budgets, resilience indices, and community-crafted transition pathways—will enhance climate governance at both local and national levels. Additionally, through stakeholder engagement, citizen science initiatives, and environmental education, the project aims to foster long-lasting local stewardship and adaptive capabilities. By illustrating how nature-based solutions, renewable energy, and social systems can function together synergistically, the initiative will make valuable contributions to several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to climate action, marine life, clean energy, and building resilient communities.