Climate Adaptation Technical Assistance Framework

Presented by the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy

L-R: Alex Shyy, International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF); Brittany Meighan, National Climate Change Office, Belize; Eugene Chien, Chairman of the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy; Lin-Yi Tsai, Taipei City Government; and Han-Pan Su, Taiwan Research Institute

This event focused on sharing lessons in smart city development and climate adaptation. It also highlighted how Taiwan has drawn on its expertise and experience to support other countries to become more resilient through its Climate Adaptation Technical Assistance Framework. The Co-Chairs of the event were Brittany Meighan, National Climate Change Office, Belize, and Eugene Chien, Chairman of the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy, who began the event by noting the long history of cooperation between Belize and Taiwan.

Lin-Yi Tsai, Taipei City Government, presented Taipei’s recent initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mainstream sustainable development. She highlighted that the city has integrated the Sustainable Development Goals into its sustainable development agenda. She presented several examples of Taipei’s turn towards low-carbon urban management, including:

• low-carbon transportation initiatives;
• the development of public housing monitored by smart technologies;
• environmental education; and
• “Taipei Energy Hill,” a large solar PV system installed on a covered landfill that can also be used for grass skiing.

Alex Shyy, ICDF, shared how ICDF is helping partner countries adapt to climate change and improve their resilience, drawing on the expertise Taiwan has developed through being a “natural disaster hotspot.” He highlighted a demonstration project in Belize that has helped cities become more resilient to floods using digital mapping techniques and advanced monitoring systems, and through disaster risk awareness raising.

Han-Pan Su, Taiwan Research Institute, presented the framework for a research project on forest pest management in Central America, a cooperative initiative between Honduras and Taiwan. The project develops decision support platforms, facilitates technology transfer, and provides training in management, geographic information systems (GIS) and monitoring. Through these, it aims to overcome the lack of forest management resource in Honduras, promote long-term forest health and carbon capture, and reduce forest degradation.

Following the presentations, participants discussed: the deployment of solar energy in Taipei; the use of smart grids to deal with intermittent energy supply; using GIS data to combat pine bark beetle infestations in Central America; the process for receiving development assistance from Taiwan; and potential further collaboration between Taiwan and Belize in developing topographic maps for flood early warning systems.

Eugene Chien, Chairman of the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy

Brittany Meighan, National Climate Change Office, Belize

Lin-Yi Tsai, Taipei City Government

Alex Shyy, ICDF

Han-Pan Su, Taiwan Research Institute