‘Green points’ generate billions of green growth – Taipei Times

Report on Taiwan’s Green Point Scheme and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A report from the Deputy Minister of Environment indicates that Taiwan’s Green Point scheme, initiated in 2015, has successfully promoted sustainable consumption and climate action, aligning with key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the past decade, the program has engaged 1.11 million people, awarding 22.7 billion points and generating NT$2.1 billion (US$68.3 million) in green consumption. The initiative leverages a mobile application and multi-sector partnerships to incentivize environmentally friendly behaviors.

Alignment with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The scheme directly supports the principles of SDG 12 by creating tangible incentives for sustainable consumption patterns and promoting a circular economy.

• Incentivizing Green Consumption: Users earn points for green purchases and actions, which can be redeemed for discounts or products.
• Promoting Circular Economy: The forthcoming “Give Circle” resource-sharing platform will allow users to donate second-hand items in exchange for points, extending product lifespans.
• Waste Reduction Initiatives:
  1. Partnerships encourage plastic-free shopping at venues like the Jianguo Flower Market.
  2. Cooperation with FamilyMart stores facilitates the recycling of batteries.
  3. Users are rewarded for using reusable cups and shopping bags.
• Food Waste Mitigation: The program includes mechanisms to address expiring fresh foods in partner stores.

Contributions to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action)

The program actively encourages low-carbon lifestyles and sustainable urban mobility, contributing to the objectives of SDG 11 and SDG 13.

• Promotion of Public Transportation: The Green Point app tracks users’ rail transportation mileage, translating it into quantifiable carbon reduction data to provide immediate positive feedback.
• Low-Carbon Mobility Incentives: Green points collected via iPass cards can be redeemed to pay for public transportation, directly encouraging a shift away from private vehicles.
• Sustainable Urban Services: The scheme allows points to be used for paying utility bills, linking sustainable behaviors with essential city services.

Fostering SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The success of the Green Point scheme is built upon a broad coalition of public, private, and civil society actors, embodying the spirit of SDG 17.

1. Public-Private Partnerships: The Ministry of Environment has established extensive collaborations with major retail chains, including 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, and OK Mart, for point collection and redemption.
2. Corporate Engagement: The government is encouraging listed and over-the-counter companies to purchase green points for use as shareholder gifts, integrating sustainability into corporate practices.
3. Civil Society Collaboration: Users have the option to donate their accumulated points to charitable organizations, channeling the program’s benefits toward social causes.
4. Future Expansion: The ministry plans to deepen its cooperation with local governments and expand its network to include more sales channels and e-commerce platforms.

Future Strategy and Program Evolution

The Ministry of Environment has outlined a strategy to scale the program’s impact over the next decade.

• Broadening Redemption Options: Restrictions have been relaxed to allow points to be redeemed for products without official green marks, increasing the program’s accessibility and appeal.
• Expanding Partner Network: The ministry will continue to onboard new sales channels and digital platforms to enhance user convenience and program reach.
• Strengthening Local Government Ties: Continued cooperation with municipal authorities is a key priority to promote the scheme at a grassroots level.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  The article addresses this goal by promoting the use of public transportation. The Green Point app tracks and rewards users for their rail transportation mileage, encouraging a shift towards more sustainable urban mobility.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
  This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The entire Green Point scheme is designed to foster sustainable consumption patterns by rewarding actions like green purchases, recycling batteries, using reusable cups and bags, reducing plastic use, and extending product lifespans through a resource-sharing platform for second-hand items.
• SDG 13: Climate Action
  The article connects to this goal by raising awareness about individual contributions to climate change mitigation. The app explicitly translates rail transportation mileage into “carbon reduction amounts,” educating users on the environmental impact of their travel choices.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
  This goal is demonstrated through the collaborative nature of the Green Point scheme. The Ministry of Environment (a public entity) partners with private sector companies (convenience stores like 7-Eleven and FamilyMart, e-commerce platforms), local governments, and civil society (the 1.11 million users) to achieve its environmental objectives.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all. The article directly supports this by mentioning that the Green Point scheme rewards users for rail transportation and allows points to be redeemed to “take public transportation.”

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. The article highlights several initiatives that align with this target, including the recycling of batteries, the use of “reusable cups or shopping bags,” promoting “plastic-free shopping,” and launching the “Give Circle” platform to donate second-hand items and “extend products’ lifespans.”
  • Target 12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature. The Green Point app itself is a tool for this, providing “immediate user feedback” and incentives that educate and encourage a sustainable lifestyle among its 1.11 million users.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning. The app’s function of tracking users’ rail mileage and representing it as “carbon reduction amounts” is a direct form of education and awareness-raising on climate change mitigation at the individual level.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article is a case study of this target in action, detailing the partnership between the Ministry of Environment (public), convenience stores like FamilyMart and OK Mart (private), companies encouraged to buy points (private), and the general public (civil society) to promote the scheme.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 11.2 (Sustainable Transport Systems)

  • Indicator: The article mentions that “users’ rail transportation mileage would be tracked.” This tracked mileage is a direct indicator of the increased use of sustainable public transport among the program’s participants.

• For Target 12.5 (Waste Reduction)

  • Implied Indicator: The article mentions actions like “recycling batteries,” using “reusable cups or shopping bags,” and donating “second-hand clothes or other items.” The number of items recycled, reused, or exchanged through these programs would serve as indicators for waste reduction.

• For Target 12.8 (Awareness for Sustainable Lifestyles)

  • Indicator: The article provides several quantitative indicators: “1.11 million people” participating in the scheme, “22.7 billion green points” awarded for sustainable actions, and “NT$2.1 billion (US$68.3 million) in green consumption” generated. These figures directly measure the scale and impact of the awareness and incentive program.

• For Target 13.3 (Climate Change Education)

  • Indicator: The app’s feature of representing mileage as “carbon reduction amounts” is a specific indicator. The total aggregated carbon reduction calculated and displayed to users would measure the program’s success in quantifying and communicating the climate benefits of their actions.

• For Target 17.17 (Partnerships)

  • Implied Indicator: The number and variety of partners are implied indicators. The article lists “7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Hi-Life convenience stores, OK Mart stores,” and mentions plans to cooperate with “more sales channels and e-commerce platforms,” indicating that the breadth of the partnership is a measure of the scheme’s growth and success.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: taipeitimes.com