TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Environmental Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) warned Tuesday (July 22) that future urban areas in Taiwan could experience temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104°F). He emphasized that waiting until such extremes occur to prepare would be exceedingly tricky. The Ministry of Environment (MOENV, 環境部) conducted a pilot drill to test adaptation strategies for high temperatures, aiming to design different scenarios for temperatures between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius (100.4 to 104°F).
The drill utilized a high-temperature red alert scenario from the Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署), Taiwan's national weather service. Various ministries and local governments explained their adaptation measures during the exercise. Minister Peng highlighted that Taipei Basin is the hottest area in Taiwan and urged proactive measures against rising temperatures. He plans to launch an alliance mechanism for high-temperature adaptation strategies next year.
Minister Peng noted that the current Disaster Prevention and Protection Act (災害防救法) does not include high temperatures, expressing hope that the Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部) will consider this in the future. He also plans drills for scenarios involving 38, 39, and even 40 degrees Celsius (100.4, 102.2, and 104°F) temperatures. Each degree increase significantly impacts medical severity and outdoor equipment, such as rail tracks and air conditioning units.
The drill included representatives from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部), the Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部), and other central agencies, along with Taipei City and New Taipei City governments. Minister Peng aims to arrange another drill later this year, underscoring the importance of readiness in the face of rising temperatures. The comprehensive exercise demonstrated Taiwan's government-wide approach to addressing climate adaptation challenges. ◼
