In 2008, Taiwan’s Executive Yuan announced the Framework of Taiwan’s Sustainable Energy Policy, which would implement nationwide energy-saving and carbon-reduction policies with the goal of reducing daily per capita carbon emissions by one kilo. To this end, the Environmental Protection Administration developed a system to label domestic product with carbon footprint information. Taiwan is now the 11th country in the world to develop a carbon-footprint label for products.

The label is designed as a footprint composed of a green heart, a leaf, the chemical symbol CO2, and a number in the heart conveying the product’s carbon footprint. The label’s general purpose is to encourage the production and consumption of products with low carbon emissions in order to move towards a low-carbon, environmentally friendly society. We hope that manufacturers will use these labels to indicate their products’ total carbon emissions (for the entire life cycle of each product) and seek opportunities to reduce carbon emissions through supply chains. This will, in turn, encourage consumers to change consumption patterns and to buy green.

The carbon reduction labeling system will be based on current carbon footprint labeling. Manufacturers will use the carbon footprint numerical value of the product as a baseline and make a specific proposal to reduce carbon emissions using specific methods. Manufacturers who are found to have kept their promise to reduce carbon emissions will gain the right to use carbon reduction labeling.
Carbon reduction labeling will be combined with an environmental point-collection system, and manufacturers will also be given priority in government procurement contracts. These incentives should enable us to achieve our greenhouse gas reduction and green supply chain goals.
When consumers purchase products with carbon reduction labeling, they are not only making a contribution to the fight against climate change, but also helping to make green consumption a reality for everyone.