Developmental netzeroism

• Published in: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews 2024-06, Vol.197, p.114319, Article 114319
• Main Author: Chou, Kuei-Tien
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Developmental environmentalism; Net zero emissions transition; Path dependency
• ISSN: 1364-0321; 1879-0690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2024.114319

This research examines the persistent constraints faced by Taiwan's government in its departure from a high carbon economic pathway, resulting in a climate governance lag, despite robust international climate regulations, decarbonization value drivers, a global market, and civil society influences. This research in the study investigates Taiwan's national carbon reduction targets across various stages of climate proposals (1998, 2005, 2010,2015, and 2022), focusing on symbolic formalism rather than genuine efforts to curb carbon emissions. Additionally, this research contends that green energy policies linked with carbon reduction targets have evolved into primary objectives competing for the forthcoming wave of technological industries. Consequently, national carbon reduction strategies have succumbed to the logic of economic competition rather than tangible carbon reduction initiatives; namely, they portray the typical approach of East Asian developmental environmentalism. Owing to geopolitical and economic competition, the Taiwanese government did not declare net zero carbon emissions until April 2021, later than South Korea, China, and Japan. Furthermore, the government presented only a vague 2050 net zero roadmap, limited carbon fee, and scaled back 2030 carbon reduction objectives. When combined with nontransparent energy reviews for new investment in Taiwan, a conservative Climate Change Act, and limited civil society participation, these factors demonstrate the continuing influence of the government's authoritarian, centralized, and bureaucratic policy-making model. This research coins the term “developmental netzeroism” to describe the transformational thresholds and structural impediments that a society characterized by a high carbon emissions regime encounters, resulting in transitional delays and governance deficiencies that necessitate bold breakthroughs. [Display omitted] •This research focuses on the net zero emissions transition from a high carbon economic pathway.•National carbon reduction targets have succumbed to the logic of economic competition logic.•The current centralized, bureaucratic policy-making model significantly impacts sustainable transition.•This research critically investigates transitional lag and governance deficiencies.•“Developmental netzeroism” emphasizes the transition predicament of a carbon-intensive manufacturing country in East Asia.