Host ｜ Ying-Chen Lin 林映辰 (逢甲大學都市計畫與空間資訊學系助理教授)

Evaluating Vehicle Fleet Electrification Against Net-Zero Targets in Scooter-Dominated Road Transport

As countries move towards net-zero emissions, the spotlight is on phasing out traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. While this shift is promising, concerns arise about the effectiveness of current electrification strategies. This talk presents a groundbreaking model that assesses the dynamics of road transport, encompassing both two- and four-wheelers. We focus on Taiwan, a nation with a significant scooter ownership rate, to understand the challenges and opportunities of transport decarbonization. The model, enriched with a bootstrap method, offers insight into Taiwan’s vehicle market projections and potential environmental outcomes. Findings suggest that, by 2050, even as 80% of Taiwan’s on-rad vehicles go electric, the ambitious goal of net-zero transport emissions still cannot be achieved. The increased adoption of electric vehicles will shift the emission burden from transport activities to power generation, underscoring the need for a clean power grid. This presentation concludes with actionable recommendations to help Taiwan align its 2050 Net-Zero Pathway more closely with its climate objectives.

Speaker｜Eliani Ezani (Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia / iLEAPS ECR Representative South East Asian & Pacific)

Air Pollution, Children and Obesity

Childhood obesity has been found to be linked with several symptoms and chronic conditions, such as asthma, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular and skeletal issues, as well as an increased likelihood of experiencing low self-esteem, sadness, and social isolation. In order to address the sedentary lifestyle that has been found to have a direct correlation with childhood obesity, it is recommended that active walking to school be incorporated into the minimum daily physical activity mandate. The observed decrease in physical activity can be primarily ascribed to factors like as increasing dependence on motor vehicles, changing societal standards, and heightened parental concerns around safety. Some schools are located on broad roads with high traffic volumes and vehicle speeds, while others are located on narrow roads with low traffic volumes and vehicle speeds. The limited understanding of schools on the mitigation of traffic-related air pollution hinders their capacity to effectively minimise exposure. Our initial investigation revealed that there is a substantial body of research on the classroom environment; however, there exists a lack of knowledge regarding the impact of exposure during the commute to school. This presentation aims to examine the long-term impact of students’ personal exposure during their commute to school on the development of comorbidities. This presentation will also examine further possibilities for investigating school-based strategies that mitigate exposure and enhance safety, specifically for children who have obesity accompanied by significant medical comorbidities.

Language｜English 英文
Register｜https://user45434.pse.is/5cbzqk

✦ Organizers /
– ECR working group, Future Earth Taipei
– Future Earth Taipei Hub
– IYBSSDXTAIWANIYBSSDXTAIWAN
– 中央研究院 永續科學中心 Center for Sustainability Science