Confronting the challenge of global climate change while simultaneously promoting ecological conservation and natural carbon sequestration, the NPUST Department of Forestry and the Ministry of Agriculture’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency jointly held the “2024 Tropical Forestry Symposium” at the NPUST Library and Exhibition Hall on November 8th with the aim of fostering relevant academic exchange. NPUST President Chin-Lung Chang, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute Director Yen-Hsueh Tseng, Branch Director Jui-Fen Yang of the Pingtung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency and many other officials, experts, and scholars gathered together to discuss relevant research results, share their different perspectives, and propose new opportunities for cooperation.
In his opening speech NPUST President Chin-Lung Chang said “forests are among the most important ecosystems on the planet, and they play a key role in mitigating climate change. NPUST is following in the footsteps of the global community and using on-campus education and research to help promote net-zero carbon emission policies. The Forestry Department’s teaching is diversified, ranging from forest management and ecological conservation to under forest economies, and it is a strong promoters of the development of natural carbon sink projects. NPUST, which resides on the largest unified campus in Taiwan, also has two practical forest farms, and is looking forward to achieving the goal of becoming a net-zero campus by 2049. This seminar has brought together experts from industry, academia, and research organizations, and I trust that through this time of exchange, participants will be able to share suitable sustainable governance policies with Taiwan and the rest of the world.”
Taiwan Forestry Research Institute Director Yen-Hsueh Tseng said: “NPUST is a major center for agricultural and forestry talent cultivation in southern Taiwan. Many outstanding alumni of their Department of Forestry now serve in the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute and have contributed a great deal to Taiwan’s forestry industry”.
With focused given to the theme of “Forest Ecology Conservation and Natural Carbon Sequestration”, experts and scholars from different fields shared their practical experiences in relevant areas. In addition to discussing how to effectively improve the carbon sequestration capacities of forests, participants examined ways of protecting biodiversity and ecosystem stability through sustainable forest management strategies in the face of climate change. The seminar also served as a platform for inter-field academic and practical exchange. The three keynote speeches included “The Current Status and Future of Under-Forest Economy Promotion”, “New Thinking on the Promotion of Biodiversity Conservation Under the Wave of Artificial Intelligence”, and “Natural Carbon Sequestration and Public-Private Partnerships for Biodiversity”. Other topics covered “Forest’s Natural Carbon Sinks”, “Mangrove’s Natural Carbon Sink”, and “Forest Ecological Conservation, Humanities and the Value of Carbon Sinks”.
The idea of carbon sinks has attracted increasing attention from the international community over the years, and more than 130 countries around the world have already announced “2050 net-zero emissions” goals. As a century-old comprehensive university founded on agriculture, NPUST has a necessary responsibility to keep up with this trend and assist with the efforts to implement net-zero policies directed at climate change. With its professional expertise and rich practical experience, the NPUST Department of Forestry will continue to cooperate with relevant domestic and foreign institutions to promote research and development related to these issues, and help contribute to global environmental sustainability and ecological protection.
