Taiwan Today reports that Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment has approved four projects to increase carbon sequestration as part of the agency’s efforts to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions. The projects involve afforestation, enhancing the carbon capture capacity of bamboo and low-stocking forests, and upgrading the management of mature forests.

To reach the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, the government is also establishing carbon sinks as one of its 12 major strategies.

Under the projects, nonforest or deforested land larger than 0.5 hectares with less than 40 percent soil disturbance for flat areas and less than 33 percent for sloped areas is targeted for tree planting. The planting will not be permitted to disrupt existing agricultural operations.

Additionally, forests that have maintained tree cover over the last 20 years with lower than average carbon storage capacity and no commercial logging activities will be thinned in the initial stages to reduce resource competition and encourage healthy growth.

For land that already meets the definition of a mature forest, the initiative aims to optimise stand density with selective harvesting of timber products. Similarly, bamboo forests with growth more than five years old will be harvested to renew carbon sink capacity.

The ministry defines carbon sequestration as “the natural or artificial process of absorbing and storing greenhouse gases from the environment.”

In the conclusion to the Overview of Taiwan’s Legal and Policy Development on Natural Carbon Sinks, the writers observe that the international community “might learn lessons from Taiwan’s holistic approach, which combines scientific knowledge, economic incentives, and community involvement through comprehensive legal and policy support.” They add, ”By continuing to develop and refine legal frameworks facilitating natural-based solution strategies, international communities could not only achieve global climate goals but also ensure sustainable and resilient ecosystems and human health protection.”

Taiwan’s pathway to net-zero emissions in 2050 sets the goal of carbon sequestration at 1,357,500 metric tons of CO₂ from forests, soils and oceans by 2030.

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