Dr. Kuo-yen Wei, Minister, Environmental Protection Administration

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act was passed on 15 June 2015 by the Taiwan legislature after many years of debate, marking a significant breakthrough for the ECCT, which has advocated action for nine years, and for Taiwan's international reputation. The legislation also comes at an important time, ahead of the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21), to be held in Paris in November 2015. COP21 will be a crucial event, as its objective is to achieve a new international agreement on the climate, applicable to all countries, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2°Celcius. While Taiwan is not a member of the UN, the passage of the act sends an important signal that Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community and that Taiwan's authorities are taking action to reduce carbon emissions.

The EPA is now in the process of drafting a national action plan in response to climate change as well as implementation measures for cutting greenhouse gases to half of 2005 levels by 2050 (as specified in the act). The act also stipulates that the EPA establish a Greenhouse Gas Management Fund which will be used exclusively in initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. At this Premium Event our guest speaker will provide an update on the EPA's progress, how implementation measures will affect European companies doing business in Taiwan, and how companies should prepare themselves.

Dr. Kuo-yen Wei has been the Minister of the Environmental Protection Administration since March 2014. Prior to this, he had held many distinguished positions in government and academia. He began his career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at Yale University. Since returning to Taiwan, he has worked as a Professor in the Department of Geosciences at National Taiwan University as well as an Adjunct Senior Researcher in the Institution of Earth Sciences at Academia Sinica. He was appointed Deputy Minister to the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission under the Executive Yuan, and later Chairperson to the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission of the Taipei City Government. He has also been the Executive Supervisor of the Geological Society of Republic of China since 2001. Minister Wei holds a Master's degree in Geology from National Taiwan University and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island in the United States.

Cost: NT$1,300 per member; NT$1,900 for members' guests

To cancel without penalty, written cancellations must be received at least 24 hours before the event.

Contact: Fiona Lee / Tel 2740-0236 ext. 215 / fiona.lee@ecct.com.tw / www.ecct.com.tw