Smart Net-Zero

February 19, 2025 | Central News Agency (In Chinese) |

Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has released draft ecological guidelines for solar development on farmland, aiming to balance renewable energy expansion with biodiversity. However, environmental groups warn the guidelines lack legal force and enforcement mechanisms, potentially accelerating habitat loss for endangered species like the leopard cat and barn owl. Critics argue the guidance acts as a loophole for unchecked farmland conversion, while failing to uphold carbon sequestration benefits from agricultural land. In response, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency emphasized that the draft is not the sole basis for land-use approval and that ecological risks in key habitats will be considered in solar development reviews.