Taiwan’s Public Television Service (PTS) program “Talking with Words” invited DSET-affiliated researcher Meng-Hui Lin to discuss the outcomes of COP29 alongside Minister of Environment Chi-Ming Peng and Che-Liang Liu, Director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Research at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research.
Taiwan’s Exclusion from COP and Alternative Engagement Strategies
At the start of the program, Minister Peng noted that he is the only Minister of Environment in the world who was not invited to COP29. Despite Taiwan’s exclusion from the UN Climate Summits as a non-member of the UNFCCC, the Ministry of Environment established a “COP War Room” this year, inviting experts and scholars to provide live updates on key developments.
Key Outcomes of COP29: Climate Finance, Energy Storage, and Carbon Markets
As COP29 was defined as the “Finance COP,” negotiations centered on scaling up climate finance commitments. A key outcome was the decision to triple the global climate finance goal, raising the annual target to $1.3 trillion by 20235. Of this amount, $300 billion must come from developed countries to support climate adaptation efforts in developing nations, particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Following last year’s COP28 agreement to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, COP29 introduced the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge, which aims to increase global energy storage capacity sixfold by 2030 and modernize electricity grids to improve the integration of renewable energy. Another major development was the adoption of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which establishes a UN-led global carbon trading system. This framework is expected to create new opportunities for non-UN member states like Taiwan to participate in global climate action.
DSET Researcher Highlights Taiwan’s Role in Global Renewable Energy and Climate Resilience
Discussing Taiwan’s position in the global energy transition, DSET-affiliated researcher Meng-Hui Lin noted that Taiwan is making significant progress in energy storage and renewable technology. Given COP29’s emphasis on expanding global renewable energy and energy storage, Taiwan has a valuable opportunity to enhance technological exchanges with allied nations.
As a small island nation with extensive experience in disaster resilience, Taiwan is well-positioned to contribute to regional climate cooperation despite its exclusion from the UN framework. Lin emphasized that Taiwan can leverage informal channels to share its expertise with Indo-Pacific partners through technical collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Implications of the U.S. Election on Global Climate Action
Since COP29 was held after the U.S. presidential election, the discussion also touched on the potential impacts of Donald Trump’s return to the White House on global climate policy.
- Minister Peng remained cautiously optimistic, arguing that the U.S. remains a leader in climate technology and that Trump is unlikely to abandon all existing climate investments given the competitive landscape between the U.S. and China.
- Che-Liang Liu warned that if the U.S. withdraws from the Paris Agreement, it would be driven by a broader rejection of multilateral governance, instead prioritizing bilateral agreements and strategic alliances that maximize national interests.
- Meng-Hui Lin emphasized that if Trump pulls the U.S. out of international climate agreements, Taiwan should adopt a more proactive approach by strengthening city-level cooperation, supply chain integration, and regional climate partnerships. By doing so, Taiwan can expand its international influence and share its expertise in climate resilience.
Lin concluded by emphasizing that Taiwan must continue to navigate its diplomatic constraints carefully, but climate cooperation presents a strategic opportunity for Taiwan to strengthen its global standing.