Biodiversity conservation is one of the major global issues of the 21st century. According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2024 Global Risks Report, “biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse” ranks among the top ten global risks for the next decade, second only to “natural disasters and extreme weather” and “major shifts in Earth’s ecosystems,” highlighting the urgent crisis in maintaining biodiversity.

Biodiversity provides numerous essential ecosystem services vital for human survival, such as food supply, water purification, climate regulation, nutrient cycling, and health maintenance. These services are the foundation for achieving sustainable development. Moreover, many economic activities like agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and tourism directly rely on rich biodiversity. A decline in biodiversity will negatively impact the productivity and proftability of these sectors, affecting economic growth. Furthermore, biodiversity includes genetic diversity, which is crucial for species’ adaptability and survival. This genetic diversity holds irreplaceable value for agricultural breeding, medicine, and more.

To respond to international biodiversity development trends and encourage various sectors to recognize the importance of biodiversity, the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (hereafter referred to as the Foundation) aims to publicly disclose information regarding dependencies and impacts on biodiversity. Our Foundation seeks to honor public and private sectors that have achieved outstanding results and contributions in biodiversity practices. Building on 17 years of experience hosting the Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards (TCSA), this year in 2024, our Foundation is organizing the second Taiwan Biodiversity Award. This event will be held in conjunction with the Taiwan Biodiversity Forum, culminating in a grand award ceremony.

To ensure the impartiality of the selection process, we have invited prominent domestic scholars and experts to serve as judges. Former Minister, Ministry of Agriculture Chi-Chung Chen has been appointed as the chief of the judging panel, leading the team in selecting the awardees from numerous outstanding participants. Biodiversity has become a new frontier in the pursuit of sustainable development. Through our award selection and recognition process, we aim to set a benchmark and inspire a wave of learning and adoption of best practices among sustainable enterprises.

Therefore, our Foundation has compiled and published the “2024 TWBA Taiwan Biodiversity Award Achievement Report,” documenting the exemplary performances of this year’s award-winning institutions. This publication vividly showcases Taiwan’s rich accomplishments in biodiversity conservation and serves as a valuable reference for future biodiversity-related projects across various sectors in the country.