2024年11月19日—[環境部氣候變遷管理局]
Aligning with global trends in green government development, the Executive Yuan announced the establishment of the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) Alliance, encompassing the Executive Yuan, central ministries, and local governments, with the goal of advancing sustainability initiatives in collaboration with the private sector.
Recognizing that capacity building for sustainability governance is crucial, the Ministry of Environment signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National Tsing Hua University today (November 19, 2024) to jointly promote professional sustainability training programs.
The MOU was signed by Minister Pang Chi-ming of the Ministry of Environment and President Kao Wei-yuan of National Tsing Hua University. This partnership marks not only a significant step in integrating universities into national sustainability capacity building but also serves as a model for cultivating globally minded sustainability professionals in Taiwan.
Minister of Environment Pang Chi-ming stated in his remarks that the signing of this MOU with National Tsing Hua University is particularly meaningful, as it coincides with the Ministry’s current roles as the executive office for the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) Alliance and the National Climate Change Response Committee, as well as the upcoming establishment of an inter-ministerial task force for international cooperation under the Paris Agreement.
Minister Pang expressed appreciation to National Tsing Hua University for its longstanding professional support to the Ministry in areas such as environmental law and international climate conventions. He emphasized that through this MOU, the Ministry aims to deepen and expand future collaboration—leveraging Tsing Hua’s outstanding faculty, students, and educational resources to strengthen sustainability training capacity.
Additionally, this partnership may connect with the Ministry of Education’s “Billion-Dollar Youth Global Dream Program”, creating valuable opportunities for young students to engage in international climate initiatives.
National Tsing Hua University President Kao Wei-yuan expressed that it is an honor to collaborate with the Ministry of Environment, bringing together the university’s expertise in international sustainability engagement, policy development, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through the Professional Sustainability Training Program and partnerships with sustainability leaders across various government ministries, these efforts aim to extend sustainability knowledge and practices to all sectors of society—becoming a driving force for Taiwan’s sustainable future.
President Kao also noted that NTHU recently established the College of Sustainability, the first of its kind among Taiwan’s universities to integrate technology, management, and regulatory disciplines in both research and education. He affirmed that the university will fully support the Ministry of Environment’s leadership in sustainability education and training initiatives.
Professor Fan Chien-te, Associate Dean of the College of Sustainability at National Tsing Hua University and the lead planner of the Ministry of Environment’s Professional Sustainability Training Program, delivered his remarks via video from Azerbaijan, where he is attending COP29.
Professor Fan outlined that the program will be divided into two main categories. The first focuses on Professional Sustainability Training, which will include short-term workshops, in-service master’s credit programs, in-service master’s degree programs, and a lifelong learning passport system.
The second focuses on the Global Carbon Pricing and Climate Diplomacy Framework, drawing from European Union experiences and featuring specialized workshops, international cooperation training courses, and hands-on participation modules.
As for the teaching faculty, the program will initially be led by professors from NTHU’s College of Sustainability, complemented by other faculty members and industry experts from within and outside the university.
The Ministry of Environment stated that its collaboration with National Tsing Hua University to promote the Professional Sustainability Training Program focuses on several key areas of cooperation: supporting the university in offering education, training, activities, courses, and projects related to sustainability; providing sustainability-related curriculum resources for participation by Ministry officials, government department heads, and Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs); and fostering mutual exchange in curriculum development while offering experienced and well-qualified instructors with strong sustainability expertise.
Through this partnership, both parties aim to actively respond to global climate change, establish a long-term collaborative mechanism, and cultivate cross-generational talents for sustainable management and development.
It is also worth noting that after the MOU signing press conference, Minister Pang Chi-ming invited President Kao Wei-yuan, Senior Vice President Tai Nien-hua, and other representatives from National Tsing Hua University to visit the COP29 Situation Room established by the Ministry of Environment.
There, Director Yen Wan-ting of the Taiwan Research Institute — who had just returned from attending the first week of the COP29 conference — delivered a briefing to share the latest updates, developments, and key insights from the event.
In alignment with the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), yesterday’s (November 18) thematic focus was “Human Development / Children and Youth / Health / Education Day.”
Key developments included the establishment of the Baku Transparency Platform, the adoption of the “Baku Principles on Human Development”—the first-ever comprehensive declaration for Human Day—and the formation of a Climate and Health Sustainability Alliance composed of five COP presidencies.
Additionally, the conference featured a series of events titled “Preparing Human Capital for a Green Future,” emphasizing that through climate education and capacity building, the younger generation can actively contribute to and lead the global transition toward sustainability.
