萬國法律事務所

　　In response to the global trend toward calls for greenhouse-gas reduction, On Sept. 20, 2006, the Executive Yuan approved a draft Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act that was formulated by the Environmental Protection Administration. The bill, which has been sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation, contains the following main points:

1. The respective central government agencies should review and readjust greenhouse-gas reduction policies for energy, industry, transportation, residence, and business on a scheduled basis.  Annual emissions surveys and registrations should also be carried out for emissions sources being identified by the relevant central government authorities.

2. The central government authorities in charge of the different industries should calculate national emissions volumes on a scheduled basis and establish a National Greenhouse-gas Emissions List.

3. A greenhouse-gas total-volume control and trading system should be implemented, with emitters adopting a trading platform designated by central government authorities to acquire sufficient emission quotas. Those enterprises that reach emissions-reduction targets set by the government will be able to sell their excess emissions quotas at the emissions trading center.

4. The agencies in charge of different industries will be authorized to set emissions quotas for different industries or sectors, and punishments will be provided so that enterprises that violate permitted emissions volumes or quotas, and those that carry out false registrations or surveys, will be subject to a fine of NT$200,000 to NT$2 million.