This book explores environmental victims' movements and how they have shaped the history of East Asia. The book focuses on the impact of these movements and whether the ideas of environmental justice in this region align with Western concepts or whether they take a different approach.
The 10th International Symposium on Environmental Sociology in East Asia
31 Oct - 2 Nov, 2025
At RSPRC, TAIWAN
Chou explores the structural dilemmas, mindsets, challenges, and solutions of the net-zero transition in Taiwan. Using Taiwan as a representative example of the structural challenges faced by East Asian countries in achieving the global net-zero carbon emission goal, the book examines the proposition of developmental environmentalism in the context of East Asia.
Focusing on Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Mainland China, the contributors to this book analyze various cases of air pollution within East Asia.
Asian countries are among the largest contributors to climate change. China, India, Japan and South Korea are among the top ten largest carbon emitters in the world, with South Korea, Japan and Taiwan also some of the largest on a per capita basis. At the same time, many Asian countries, notably India, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand are among those most affected by climate change, in terms of economic losses attributed to climate-related disasters.
The Fukushima disaster of 2011 shook the globe, arousing warm debate and new research within the academic fields of countries in both the West and the East on issues related to nuclear security, public trust, government governance, risk governance and risk perception along with technological and social aspects.
Environmental Sociology in East Asia (ISESEA) 2017, inviting major international academic institutions and relevant university departments to participate in the ISESEA. ISESEA was launched in 2007 by a group of sociologists of East Asian environmental studies from the Research Committee in Environment and Society (RC24) of the International Sociological Association (ISA) and is held biennially among Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and China...
The international Knowledge, Learning, And Societal Change research Alliance (KLASICA) is very pleased to announce the dates and theme of the third KLASICA Taipei symposium. We very cordially invite researchers, policy makers, community activists, and practitioners, who are concerned with societal transformations to sustainable futures in accord with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to join us in this exciting and important symposium.
- Research Topics
- Media & Publications
- Global Collaboration
Since 2017, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center at National Taiwan University has continuously monitored Taiwan's top ten greenhouse gas (GHG)-emitting enterprises. Beginning in 2019, the Center has regularly published the "Tracking Corporate Climate Action" feature, tracking emission changes among Taiwan's high-carbon industries and enterprises. As the feature enters its seventh year in 2025, we continue to update data on GHG emissions from major emitters required to conduct inventory and registration, as announced by the Ministry of Environment (for 2023).
Since 2023, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC), National Taiwan University (NTU), has conducted an annual stratified-sample survey examining climate-related financial disclosures among Taiwanese enterprises with annual revenues exceeding NT$100 million.
National Taiwan University's Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) has been monitoring Taiwan's top 10 greenhouse gas-emitting companies since 2017. The center published the first edition of the "Corporate Climate Action Tracker" report in 2019 to identify Taiwan's leading industries and corporations by their greenhouse gas emissions.
The inauguration of the new government marks the commencement of a novel phase in the net-zero transition of Taiwan. In 2024, following the inauguration of the new administration, the President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te issued a proclamation marking the occasion of Earth Day. In this address, he unveiled a new initiative to advance a second energy transition, articulating three key tenets: the diversification of green energy sources, the implementation of in-depth energy conservation strategies, and the development of advanced energy storage technologies.
Businesses have an increasing responsibility to address global climate change as risks intensify. Extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes, pose serious threats to global economic and social stability. Companies, as key drivers of economic activity, are responsible for reducing their carbon footprints, improving energy efficiency, and advancing sustainable development.
Cities, while occupying only 3% of Earth’s land area, host over half the global population, and generate 80% of global gross domestic product (GDP). However, they also account for two-thirds of global energy consumption and over 70% of annual greenhouse gas emissions. These figures highlight cities’ dominant role in global energy consumption and carbon emissions, revealing that high-density populations and economic activity in cities not only strain limited energy resources but also underscore their critical role and responsibilities in responding to climate change.
Taiwan currently faces daunting challenges amid the evolving global political–economic landscape and the demands posed by low-carbon transition. In 2025, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center at National Taiwan University conducted the Fourth Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Readiness Survey. Building on the Climate-related Financial Disclosures corporate survey framework applied over the past three years, the scope of this latest survey was further expanded to include aspects such as climate disclosure, labor rights, and human rights due diligence, with the aim of examining the sustainability disclosure practices and readiness of companies following the announcement of the carbon fee policies. We hereby invite all stakeholders to review the survey findings and jointly drive Taiwan's progress toward a transition to sustainability that is equitable and resilient.
The Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) of National Taiwan University (NTU) has been conducting corporate climate-related financial disclosure surveys since 2022, with each successive survey enhancing our understanding of related topics. The fourth round of survey was conducted this year (2025).
The Risk Society and Policy Research Center at National Taiwan University has released a report on the third just transition survey, calling for greater attention to two major challenges: net-zero emissions for workers, young people, and disadvantaged groups and the impact of climate change.
In 2022, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center at National Taiwan University initiated the Corporate Climate-Related Financial Disclosure Survey. With Fubon Financial Holdings' continued sponsorship and support, the scope of the survey was expanded in 2023, and the issue was further explored in 2024. On June 5,...
As the impacts of climate change continually intensify, company stakeholders and investors have increasingly turned their focus toward the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). The Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) of National Taiwan University has conducted a survey to investigate this crucial issue. On 23 May, 2023, the "TCFD Survey Report: Challenges of Carbon Intensive Industries in Achieving Net-zero Transition" was published.
Risk Society and Policy Research Center released the "Survey on Awareness of Just Transition of High-carbon- and High-power-consuming Industries in Taiwan"
The book launch for the research monograph, Taiwan in Net-Zero Transition: An East Asian Perspective on Developmental Environmentalism (2025), authored by Dr. Kuei-Tien Chou, Director of the Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) and Professor at the Graduate Institute of National Development, National Taiwan University (NTU), was held in late October, 2025.
The East Asian environmental sociology network originated from the ISESEA network, co-founded in 2007 by scholars from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and other regions. This community organizes a biennial Symposium , with hosting duties rotating among Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China. This year (2025) marked the 10th Symposium , with NTU’s RSPRC once again serving as Taiwan’s host institution after previously hosting the event in 2017.
On July 23, 2025, Professor Jusen ASUKA from Tohoku University visited our center and engaged in in-depth discussions with Assistant Professor Jiun-Da LIN from the Graduate Institute of National Development, Assistant Professor Chung-Hsien LEE from the Department of Political Science, and colleagues at the center.
Associate Professor Gregory Trencher of the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies at Kyoto University, Japan, visited the Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) of National Taiwan University (NTU) from November 20-22, 2024, for academic exchange and discussions on potential research collaboration.
On the 24th of January 2024, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) of National Taiwan University (NTU) hosted an open forum titled “Developmental Contributory Risks? Reconfiguring Citizenship in a Developmental Risk Society.” The keynote speaker was Kyung-Sup Chang, distinguished professor in the Department of Sociology at Seoul National University. The event was chaired and moderated by Kuei-Tien Chou, the RSPRC’s director, and also featured commentary from Professor Shiuh-Shen Chien of NTU’s Department of Geography.
On the 30th of November 2023, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) of National Taiwan University hosted an open forum by Associate Professor Pietro Lanzini from Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy. His research interests include consumer behavior and sustainability, with a special focus on mobility, the food sector and spillover-related phenomena. The title of his presentation was "The Electrification of Mobility in Italy: A Commuter-based Perspective."
ENERGY
- Open Energy
- Industry and Finance
Since 2017, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center at National Taiwan University has continuously monitored Taiwan's top ten greenhouse gas (GHG)-emitting enterprises. Beginning in 2019, the Center has regularly published the "Tracking Corporate Climate Action" feature, tracking emission changes among Taiwan's high-carbon industries and enterprises. As the feature enters its seventh year in 2025, we continue to update data on GHG emissions from major emitters required to conduct inventory and registration, as announced by the Ministry of Environment (for 2023).
National Taiwan University's Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) has been monitoring Taiwan's top 10 greenhouse gas-emitting companies since 2017. The center published the first edition of the "Corporate Climate Action Tracker" report in 2019 to identify Taiwan's leading industries and corporations by their greenhouse gas emissions.
The inauguration of the new government marks the commencement of a novel phase in the net-zero transition of Taiwan. In 2024, following the inauguration of the new administration, the President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te issued a proclamation marking the occasion of Earth Day. In this address, he unveiled a new initiative to advance a second energy transition, articulating three key tenets: the diversification of green energy sources, the implementation of in-depth energy conservation strategies, and the development of advanced energy storage technologies.
Cities, while occupying only 3% of Earth’s land area, host over half the global population, and generate 80% of global gross domestic product (GDP). However, they also account for two-thirds of global energy consumption and over 70% of annual greenhouse gas emissions. These figures highlight cities’ dominant role in global energy consumption and carbon emissions, revealing that high-density populations and economic activity in cities not only strain limited energy resources but also underscore their critical role and responsibilities in responding to climate change.
At this year's COP28, the Global Stocktake emphasized the need for all countries to triple their installed capacity for renewable energy by 2030. Therefore, Taiwan must adopt more forward-looking strategies and actions to maximize emission reduction efficiencies.
The year 2022 marks the first year of Taiwan's Net-Zero Emissions policy. Let us reflect on Taiwan's current status in energy development. Following its announcement of the "Taiwan's Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050" in March 2022, the National Development Council has further released the "12 Key Strategies" in December of the same year and amended the "2030 Carbon Reduction Goal", with the intention to progressively achieve a sustainable society with net-zero emissions by 2050. Among these proposals, "energy transition" is the top priority of Taiwan's pathway to net-zero emissions.
Since 2023, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC), National Taiwan University (NTU), has conducted an annual stratified-sample survey examining climate-related financial disclosures among Taiwanese enterprises with annual revenues exceeding NT$100 million.
Businesses have an increasing responsibility to address global climate change as risks intensify. Extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes, pose serious threats to global economic and social stability. Companies, as key drivers of economic activity, are responsible for reducing their carbon footprints, improving energy efficiency, and advancing sustainable development.
In recent years, the assessment of climate risks has had a profound effect on the sustainability of business operations. To address this challenge, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) established the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) in 2015, which issued relevant guidelines in 2017. However, as climate risk issues have become more complex, the TCFD announced its dissolution in 2023, transferring its oversight responsibilities to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation.
Green economy is often reduced to the political wrestling battlefield between developing and developed countries, which also implies a deep epistemic gap between experts and lay people.
Taiwan should promptly promotes environmental tax and the removal of the eco-unfriendly subsidies by the introduction of, such as, energy tax and carbon tax; it is to realize the full internalization of environmental costs, and at the same time reduce the burden of income tax. This economic development policy can achieve the progressive target of ‘a higher growing rate...
In the past five years, the idea of "green economy" has been brewing out of Taiwan's major debates between expanding economic development (e.g., expansion of petrochemical industry in Kaohsiung, finishing the fourth nuclear power plant) and protecting our precious environment. However, this idea has not been well perceived in Taiwan's energy policy agenda because the government believes in the myth of GDP-first development model.
The keynote speaker for this session was Tsutomu Sato, currently serving as Counselor of the Strategy Development and Management Bureau at Japan's Financial Services Agency, as well as Senior Research Fellow at the Nakasone Peace Institute (NPI). With extensive experience in Japan's energy transition and international financial governance frameworks, Mr. Sato delivered a lecture titled "Japan's Green Transformation and Transition Finance." His presentation offered a comprehensive analysis of Japan's practical experience in advancing carbon neutrality, examining the issue from four key dimensions: historical context, policy development, institutional frameworks, and market dynamics.
The 2025 Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Readiness Survey, conducted by the NTU RSPRC, was released in this session. The discussion was moderated by Kuei-Tien Chou, Director of the NTU RSPRC; Assistant Professor Ya-Ting Kuo of Asia Eastern University of Science and Technology and Assistant Professor Chung-Pei Pien of National Chengchi University were invited to present their analyses of the survey findings.
The forum started with a speech by Shien-Quey Kao, Deputy Minister of the National Development Council. She stated that, in addition to presenting NTU RSPRC’s findings on corporate sustainability preparedness, this year’s forum also provided valuable reference for the government in evaluating corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and formulating related policies.
The theme of the third session was "European Union (EU) Social Taxonomy and Sustainability Transition", which was moderated by Sue-Ching Jou, Professor of Geography at the National Taiwan University (NTU). The session began with an introduction by Chien-Hung Tung, Deputy Minister of the Interior. The discussants included Chi-Jui Huang, Professor of Finance and Cooperative Management at NTU and Associate Professor Ping-Lung Hsin, Associate Professor of the Graduate Institute of National Development at NTU.
Since 2016, the Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation has partnered with the Risk Society and Policy Research Center of the National Taiwan University (hereinafter referred to as NTU RSPRC). Through energy transition projects, they have established a model for collaboration between corporate foundations and academic research centers. Last year, the Fubon Group rebranded the "Fubon Globalization Forum" as the "Fubon Forum on Sustainable Future" and worked with NTU RSPRC to promote Taiwan's social consensus on sustainable development and to connect scientific research and advocacy with respect to international issues. This year, with the theme "Collaboration between Industry and Finance: Bridging the Sustainability Transition Gap," the Fubon Forum on Sustainable Future explored the global issues and social impacts experienced by financial institutions and their related enterprises and industries when addressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges, reflecting the forum's vision for sustainability.
Session Four with the theme "Multiple Global Crises - Key Analysis of 2023 World Economic Forum" was kicked off with a lecture by Sophie Heading, a representative of the World Economic Forum. Based on the Global Risks Report 23, Sophie discussed the concept of multiple crises and pointed out that current global risks are interconnected. When a set of risks fluctuate simultaneously and spread in various spheres, there will be a cascading effect, triggering multiple crises. Therefore, it is important to understand the trend of the overall structure and how geopolitical and economic conditions drive the occurrence of multiple risks. Sophie stated that due to changes and conflicts in geopolitical dynamics, we may witness rapid outflow of funds and technology in the next two to ten years. In addition, rapid inflation, natural disasters, extreme weather events, and commodity price volatility are also among the top five risks for countries. Sophie also cautioned in the risk report that as global economic dynamics have the potential to catalyze many risk issues, countries need to strengthen regulations and controls to prevent further exacerbation. For example, geopolitical conditions have an impact on debt dynamics; if the global debt burden approaches or even exceeds the global commodity value, it will pose risks such as debt distress and increased capital and financing costs to the economy.