RSPRC, NTU: Central–Local Collaboration as a Key Solution to Challenges in County and City Climate Governance

Taiwan will hold its nine-in-one local elections in the second half of this year. At a time when the restructuring of global industrial supply chains is reshaping Taiwan's internal regional balance and generating increasingly complex challenges in climate and energy governance, local governments and county and municipal leadership candidates alike will face the growing demands of net-zero carbon governance.

On the 27th, the Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) at National Taiwan University (NTU) released its report, "Policy Recommendations for Strengthening Central–Local Collaboration in Climate Governance." The report synthesizes several years of the RSPRC's research on local climate and net-zero governance, highlighting the pivotal role of local governments in advancing net-zero policies. The release was accompanied by a joint appeal from scholars and representatives of civil society organizations, long engaged in local climate governance, urging stronger collaboration between central and local authorities to enhance climate governance.

Professor Kuei-Tien Chou, Director of the RSPRC, first urged the central government to establish a fair and transparent carbon fee allocation system expeditiously. Since the introduction of carbon fees in 2025, the majority of Taiwan's local governments have expressed expectations of receiving at least 30% of the revenue generated. Although the Climate Change Response Act specifies permissible uses of carbon fee revenues, the Climate Change Administration under the Ministry of Environment has thus far only indicated that funds will be allocated through a competitive proposal-based process, without clarifying the underlying allocation framework. Therefore, Chou recommended that the central government promptly develop fair and transparent selection criteria and procedures, enabling broad public scrutiny and deliberation while reducing the risk of disputes arising from administrative discretion.

Following the amendment of the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures, local governments are expected to benefit from increased fiscal resources. Chou emphasized that these additional resources should be accompanied by strengthened local capacity for climate governance. He suggested that local governments collaborate with universities to cultivate in-house expertise, thereby alleviating the burden on frontline personnel. Moreover, such capacity-building efforts would reduce excessive reliance on external consulting firms, helping to prevent the fragmentation of policy implementation.

Regarding participation in decision-making, Chou noted that in 2025 the Executive Yuan approved the third-phase national greenhouse gas reduction targets, raising the 2030 target to align with Taiwan's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0). Earlier this year, it approved greenhouse gas reduction action plans for central government ministries and agencies. However, local governments were not included as co-decision-makers in formulating these policies. Therefore, Chou called for a shift in the relationship between central and local governments from one characterized by "administrative delegation" to one based on "partnership." He argued that net-zero targets and implementation strategies should be developed through mutual consultation, as the practical measures required to achieve emissions reduction goals must be tailored to diverse local contexts.

Assistant Professor Chung-Hsien Lee of the Graduate Institute of Public Affairs at NTU, also a researcher at the RSPRC, noted that the Climate Change Response Act requires all local governments to establish Climate Change Response Committees to coordinate and integrate climate-related affairs across government departments and advance the implementation of relevant initiatives. The RSPRC's research further indicates that strong support from county and city leaders is instrumental in fostering cross-departmental collaboration. Accordingly, Lee suggested that local governments make greater use of institutional instruments, such as local net-zero autonomy ordinances, to clearly define the responsibilities of Climate Change Response Committees and codify net-zero commitments as long-term objectives for local governance.

Lee further noted that the Chief Sustainability Officer Alliance, a bridge between central and local governments facilitating cross-departmental coordination, can unite overall governance capacity and enhance local leaders' engagement with and understanding of net-zero policies, thereby reinforcing their leadership in advancing local climate governance. Therefore, he recommended that both central and local governments make more effective use of the Alliance as a platform for collaboration in climate governance.

Lee emphasized that effective climate governance depends on the availability of reliable, long-term data to support evidence-based decision-making. However, only a limited number of counties and cities currently maintain publicly accessible databases of relevant information. Citing the "Regulations for the Management of Setting up Renewable Energy Power Generation Equipment of Power Users above a Certain Contract Capacity" as an example, he noted that while local governments possess general information on electricity consumption within their jurisdictions, regulatory restrictions and limitations in data granularity often prevent them from accessing details on high-voltage users. Therefore, he urged the central government to integrate data held across ministries, agencies, and state-owned enterprises and establish a national climate and energy data platform with information disaggregated to the county and city levels. Local governments could then build upon this foundation to develop localized open-data platforms. Such efforts would both strengthen evidence-based governance and enable citizens to track and better understand their city's progress toward net-zero emissions through comprehensive data.

Li-Fang Chou, Director of the Green Energy Finance Research Center at National Chengchi University, remarked that "there can be no net-zero nation without net-zero cities," emphasizing that urban carbon budgets are leading indicators of climate progress. Considering that cities account for approximately 70% of global carbon emissions and two-thirds of global energy consumption, the effectiveness of global climate action, as well as Taiwan's ability to achieve its 2050 net-zero goals, ultimately depends on whether national policies can be effectively translated into local governance, concrete urban actions, and civic engagement.

Chou further emphasized that "the climate crisis is also a health crisis," noting that climate-related risks are rapidly increasing public exposure, vulnerability, and susceptibility to harm, thereby adversely impacting human health. She called on the government to establish a new cross-sectoral governance framework integrating a climate and health policy. Moreover, Chou advocated "allocating a portion of carbon fee revenues to support decarbonization efforts within healthcare institutions," arguing that such investments would strengthen the healthcare sector's capacity to serve as the last line of defense for public health and enhance the resilience of Taiwan's healthcare system.

Wei-Chieh Lai, Director-General of the Green Citizens' Action Alliance, argued that authority, responsibilities, and resources must be aligned between central and local governments regarding decarbonization, climate adaptation, and climate governance. Achieving such alignment requires mechanisms enabling clear information-sharing between different government levels on national emissions reduction targets, industrial policies, regional development strategies, and related implementation mechanisms.

Lai further explained that local governments should not be viewed merely as implementors, but as principal actors in the transition toward net-zero emissions. Comprehensive and diverse climate datasets and relevant databases are essential foundations for effective net-zero policymaking and climate governance. Building on these foundations, county and city governments should produce annual gap reports analyzing carbon management and monitoring as well as policy adjustments. Moreover, such assessments would provide a base for advancing the objectives of a just transition. More importantly, Lai argued that local governments should incorporate the concept of carbon budgeting by aligning net-zero policies with local development plans and budgetary processes. Such integration is critical to achieving a genuine low-carbon economic transition and avoiding initiatives that reduce emissions in one policy domain while increasing them in another. Further, he emphasized the importance of establishing publicly accessible and interoperable databases across local jurisdictions. Domestically, such databases would facilitate collaboration and the exchange of best practices among county and city governments. Internationally, they would provide a foundation for mutual learning and comparing.

Lai further emphasized that, in addition to strengthening coordination between central and local governments, establishing mechanisms for "cross-regional governance" and integrating them with existing cooperation platforms and collaborative arrangements across counties and cities is necessary.

Pi-Shuang Wu, Executive Director of the Homemakers United Foundation, emphasized that climate governance is not merely a matter of achieving national policy objectives, but also a critical issue of local governance and civic participation. She observed that meaningful emissions reduction and adaptation efforts ultimately occur within cities, communities, and the everyday lives of citizens. Therefore, she called on governments to transcend institutional reforms and infrastructure development by fostering mechanisms for public communication and empowerment grounded in a vision of sustainable living. In particular, she advocated involving intermediary organizations, community groups, and civil society networks to facilitate policy implementation, public deliberation, and behavior-change initiatives. She argued that such efforts can foster a motivation for climate action at multiple levels, from individuals and households to communities.

Wu noted that local governments continue to face significant challenges including insufficient human resources, limited access to climate-related data, and difficulties in coordinating across administrative departments. Therefore, she argued that the central government should establish a fair and transparent carbon fee allocation system to increase local capacity in climate governance. This should include investments in developing climate governance expertise, establishing localized climate data platforms, and creating advisory and support teams tailored to local needs. Such measures would strengthen public access to information, community participation, and cross-sectoral collaboration. Wu further emphasized that climate governance should not rely solely on engineering solutions and technological innovation. Rather, citizens themselves must be recognized as central actors in the transition. Through collaboration among central and local governments and civil society organizations, Taiwan can build a net-zero governance system that is both resilient and equitable.

The participating scholars and civil society organizations concluded the event by holding placards and jointly calling for a series of actions. Their key appeals included: ensuring the equitable use of carbon fee revenues by establishing a transparent allocation system; using expanded fiscal resources effectively to enhance local climate governance capacity; empowering local leaders to champion net-zero initiatives and transform climate action at the community level; developing climate data platforms as a foundation for net-zero policymaking; advancing cross-sectoral climate–health governance and directing carbon fee revenues toward healthcare-sector decarbonization; and strengthening collaboration between central and local governments to foster civic participation in net-zero action.

For more details, please refer to the "Policy Recommendations for Strengthening Central–Local Collaboration in Climate Governance,".

Release date: May 27, 2026

Issued by: Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC), National Taiwan University

Executive Summary

Since 2022, the RSPRC has monitored the progress of local governments in advancing net-zero transition initiatives, particularly focusing on whether local authorities have been able to align with and keep pace with the central government's rapidly evolving net-zero policy. Examining the formulation of national greenhouse gas reduction targets, development of Taiwan's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and provisions of the Climate Change Response Act—a cornerstone of Taiwan's climate governance framework—reveals that local governments have been excluded from central decision-making processes on net-zero emissions. Moreover, climate governance has been treated primarily as a centrally delegated responsibility implemented at the local level, leaving local governments' autonomous authority insufficiently recognized. Consequently, local governments' place-based knowledge and governance capacities have been undervalued. Drawing on the RSPRC's recent research findings, this report presents 10 recommendations for strengthening collaboration in climate governance between central and local governments.

1. The Climate Change Response Act should be implemented parallelly with the principles of local self-government. Climate governance should be accompanied by a clearer delineation of responsibilities between central and local governments, along with strengthened intergovernmental collaboration.

Since the enactment of the Local Government Act, local governments have been granted broad authority in matters related to environmental protection. Nevertheless, jurisdictional disputes between central and local governments over climate and energy policies have persisted. To enhance the institutional capacity required to meet national net-zero commitments, powers and responsibilities should be clearly allocated and systematically coordinated. Considering the local governments' autonomous authority in climate change governance, the central government should respect local autonomy more and establish a clear cooperation framework that enables more effective multi-level and cross-sectoral governance.

2. Local governments should be integrated into national net-zero decision-making processes to establish both vertical and horizontal cross-sectoral climate governance mechanisms.

In January 2025, the National Development Council of the Executive Yuan released the "Net-Zero Pathway: Taiwan's National Carbon Reduction Action Plan." However, the plan does not provide institutional mechanisms through which local governments can participate in the planning process. The implementation of net-zero policies, particularly in areas with renewable energy development, requires local governments to adapt existing administrative procedures and frameworks according to local conditions.

3. National greenhouse gas reduction targets should effectively align with local government implementation plans.

Local governments are instrumental in advancing both emissions reduction and climate adaptation. Considering the distinct industrial characteristics of different regions, the allocation of emissions reduction responsibilities should be clearly specified for each municipality and county. Furthermore, measures for addressing climate change risks should vary according to regional conditions. Therefore, national greenhouse gas reduction targets should be formulated through collaborative engagement with local governments from the outset, ensuring effective alignment with local greenhouse gas reduction implementation plans.

4. Local governments can strengthen net-zero efforts by appropriately expanding regulatory scope within the framework of existing central regulations.

The regulatory obligations imposed on major electricity consumers in Tainan, Taipei, and Taichung are stricter than those established by the central government. By implementing more rigorous policies, local governments can effectively guide societal transformation. This practice demonstrates that, without contravening central regulations, local authorities possess the policy space to adopt more proactive measures for carbon reduction.

5. Carbon fee revenues should be allocated through fair and transparent distribution and determination systems.

The designated uses of carbon fee revenues include "providing financial support to municipal and county (city) authorities for the implementation of greenhouse gas mitigation measures." Local governments expect such revenues for strengthening local fiscal capacity. Accordingly, the central government should establish a fair and transparent system for allocating carbon fee revenues, thereby providing local governments with guidelines for implementation.

6. Following the revision of the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures, local governments should use additional fiscal resources prudently and enhance governance capacity.

The amendment to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures is expected to provide additional fiscal resources to support local governments' net-zero operations. Local authorities are recommended to simultaneously use these new funds to build the capacity of departmental staff, thereby enhancing their ability to effectively implement climate governance initiatives.

7. Public sector participation should emphasize diversity, with strengthened channels for vulnerable and youth groups.

Results from the 2025 local net-zero governance survey conducted by the RSPRC indicate that, at the local level, climate governance decision-making at Climate Change Response Promotion Committees is dominated by academic representatives. In contrast, participation channels for vulnerable populations and youth groups in these committees remain limited.

8. Local governments should effectively use Climate Change Response Promotion Committees to facilitate cross-departmental coordination and incorporate public input into net-zero governance.

Local governments may clearly define the responsibilities of Climate Change Response Promotion Committees within net-zero-related ordinances, thereby enabling them to coordinate across departments and review emissions reduction performance. Considering that local governments should recruit individuals with relevant expertise for these committees, the recruitment can also function as important platforms for understanding public concerns. Through this process, local governments can progressively develop proper policy decisions.

9. The central and local governments should establish a Chief Sustainability Officer Alliance to overcome challenges in cross-jurisdictional collaboration.

A Chief Sustainability Officer Alliance can provide an institutional framework that links central and local governments. Through this approach, the central government can enhance the engagement of county and municipal leaders in net-zero policymaking and leverage their influence to advance local net-zero initiatives. Simultaneously, local governments can use the alliance as a platform to reinforce collaborative governance between central and local governments and establish timely channels for addressing policy conflicts and implementation challenges.

10. Local governments exhibit low adoption of energy and climate data repositories. Central support is required to help local governments address challenges in building databases by integrating cross-departmental data for local use.

Currently, only seven counties and cities nationwide have established publicly accessible energy or climate databases. Twenty-two local governments reported challenges in developing such databases including difficulties in integration across departments, insufficient funding for establishment and maintenance, a lack of skilled personnel for data collection and management, inconsistent data quality, and the absence of practical case studies or guidelines for data use. To address these barriers, the central government should proactively establish a national climate and energy data platform, with data granularity refined to the county and city level, enabling local governments to use the information.