[New Taipei City News] To advance urban energy transition and achieve net-zero emissions, New Taipei City hosted the “2025 New Taipei International Forum on Energy Transition and Coal-Free City Achievements Forum ” today (Sep. 30, 2025) at the Hilton Taipei Sinban Hotel. The event brought together experts from Germany, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, India, and Japan, alongside representatives from domestic industry, government, and academia. Participants exchanged strategies on energy transition, air quality improvement, and urban net-zero governance with pollution reduction co-benefits, generating innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
Group photo of distinguished guests at the “2025 New Taipei International Forum on Energy Transition and Coal-Free City Achievements
Mayor Hou Yu-ih noted that while “raw coal” is an inexpensive fuel, it produces significantly more air pollution than other energy sources. With growing environmental awareness, reducing dependence on coal and other fossil fuels has become a global priority. After 9 years of dedicated effort, New Taipei City successfully phased out all 4 large coal-fired cogeneration units and 34 small coal-fired boilers by 2022, reducing PM2.5 concentration by over 44%. This achievement has made New Taipei City Taiwan’s first industrial coal-free city, establishing a solid foundation for urban net-zero emissions.
New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-Ih stated that in 2022, New Taipei successfully phased out all coal-fired boilers across the city, becoming Taiwan’s first industrial coal-free city.
Mayor Hou emphasized that becoming a coal-free industrial city is a crucial starting point toward net-zero emissions. In 2019, New Taipei became the first city in Taiwan to join the “Powering Past Coal Alliance.” In 2022, it released the “New Taipei City 2050 Net-Zero Pathway and Climate Action White Paper,” outlining carbon reduction targets and a blueprint for achieving net-zero by 2050. The blueprint focuses on phasing out oil-fired boilers, electrifying industrial equipment, and promoting green transportation, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 4 million tons and establish 1.5 million tons of forest carbon sinks by 2050. This includes requiring green buildings in large-scale development projects to mitigate the heat island effect, building a resilient city. New Taipei City has also established the Bali Net-Zero Demonstration Zone and actively developed rail infrastructure. At the same time, the construction of the Second Administration Building will adopt a carbon-neutral approach. Citizens are integrating carbon reduction into daily life through household electricity conservation and AI-controlled traffic signals, with public and private sectors collaborating to achieve the 2050 net-zero emissions goal.
After phasing out coal use, local industries switched to low-carbon natural-gas boilers.
The Environmental Protection Bureau explained that the forum centered on “Coal Phase-out Governance, Energy Transition, and Social Momentum.” Rohit Sen, Head of ICLEI’s Sustainable Energy Group, shared experiences of coal phase-out transitions in cities worldwide and analyzed low-emission pathways and net-zero trends in the Asia-Pacific region. Christine Shearer, Project Manager at the Global Energy Monitor (GEM), discussed global coal power construction, operation, and retirement trends in relation to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target, translating research into practical tools for decision-makers advancing energy transition.
Rohit Sen, Head of Sustainable Energy at the ICLEI World Secretariat, shared international experiences in coal phase-out and discussed low-emission pathways and net-zero trends in the Asia-Pacific region.
During the event, international experts shared their experiences in urban planning and policy implementation. The panel included Fiona Shanhun (New Zealand Canterbury’s chief scientist), Brent Jensen (Canada Edmonton Senior Director), Jürgen Landgrebe (German Environment Agency official and former Emissions Trading Authority Director), Togo Uchida (ICLEI Japan Office Director), and Vida Christeller (New Zealand Wellington City Council City Design Manager). They emphasized that local governments should leverage local data, information, and human resources to drive social and economic transition from the grassroots level, implementing effective communication and civic participation to maximize resources. Richard Chang, CEO of domestic enterprise Alpha Ring Asia, presented innovative zero-carbon energy solutions. These exchanges provided diverse and concrete strategies for New Taipei City’s net-zero emission goals, generating effective solutions for urban sustainable development.
Christine Shearer, Project Manager of Global Energy Monitor, analyzed the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 °C target and global trends in coal-fired power development, operation, and phase-out.
To deepen international exchange, this forum also featured comprehensive panel discussions following each thematic session, facilitating interaction between scholars from various countries and the moderators. Special guests included John Bell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southern Queensland, and Adrian Panow, Director of the Energy Transition Network and Industry Centre at the University of Queensland. Together with representatives from New Taipei City, they explored how to leverage emerging energy sources and develop appropriate policies to enhance the effectiveness of government net-zero initiatives and encourage greater public engagement.
Junne-Yih Li, Senior Technical Specialist of the New Taipei City Environmental Protection Department, shared the city’s experience in promoting its coal-free transition.
Environmental Protection Bureau Director Cheng Da-Wei stated that New Taipei City has achieved its coal-free city goals through legal frameworks, administrative guidance, and cross-departmental cooperation. The forum demonstrated the city’s commitment to international net-zero standards while showcasing its coal phase-out governance on the global stage. Through international collaboration and expert dialogue, the forum incorporated pollution reduction strategies into the net-zero pathway, with industry, government, and academia working together toward a sustainable net-zero future by 2050.
A local manufacturer voluntarily dismantled its coal-fired boiler on site.
