APSAA 亞太永續行動獎(Asia-Pacific Sustainability Action Awards )-Livable and Sustainable City Award:Excellent
Tainan City Government
The Paragon of Sustainability: Tainan’s Road Map to Net Zero, Diversity and Livability
The City of Tainan is soon to celebrate its four-hundred-year establishment anniversary since the Age of Exploration. Mayor of Tainan City, Huang Wey-che noted that “Tainan bore witness to the rise of Taiwan in the last 400-year epoch; in the next 400 years, Tainan shall lead Taiwan to the global horizon.” Guided by that vision, Tainan has grown more vibrant and livable, and seamlessly incorporated tolerance, resilience and diversity into the city’s history- and culture-inspired lifestyle.
Tainan City Government has adopted a series of participatory urban planning projects. It’s appointed a task force, along with 57 workstations, to rebuild unsafe and old buildings and offered assistance to those applying for subsidies to renovate their residences. A revitalization of publicly-owned estates, nine publicly-initiated urban renewal projects, and land development strategies were put into motion to acknowledge the voice of the people; an online polling for citizens to establish and rezone park spaces was also pioneered. “Shalun Smart Green Energy Science Community” was launched as a key demonstration area for the smart city initiative, which will also serve as the R&D base and demonstration area of the Asian-Pacific Green Energy Development Center to promote renewables and the setup of smart grids.
Tainan City Government promoted international exchange efforts through an artist-in-residence program. It also signed a Friendship City Partnership with Torrance of California, a MOU with New Orleans of Louisiana during a videoconference; on top of which, Tainan City also enjoyed extensive, friendly exchange with local administrators of Gold Coast, Australia, Edinburg of Scotland, and Yamaguchi of Japan.
International Orchid Exhibition, International Mango Festival, WBSC U-12 and the Tainan Historical Capital International Half Marathon will be held at different times throughout the year for dignitaries and guests from Tainan’s friendship cities to foster friendship.
Tainan City Government has launched disaster management initiatives for residential communities to improve city resilience . A locality-centric, integrated flood management program was put in place to implement zero urban runoff. Additionally, the simulated community voluntary mudslide prevention drills and actual exercises for the city’s 48 mudslide-prone rivers were held.
Tainan City Government has worked hard to fortify transportation network within Tainan Science Park, bracket the industrial complex in Yongkang District, establish a transportation network within the Shalun Smart and Green Energy Science Community, improve roadway quality in key commercial and urban areas that expand to include travel routes around Anping District. The city’s railway reconstruction project has extended to Yongkang District, significantly expanding the size of the city’s prime district. In terms of Tainan City’s metro system, phase one of the integrated plan for the Blue Line has been delivered to the central government for review. The City is home to 133 bus routes, including six adaptable routes. The city’s nine multistory car parks offer 2,630 slots for vehicles and 1,448 slots for motorbikes.
Reclaimed building material depository under Tainan Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage has welcomed 62 donations of used building materials, and 71 applications for used building materials repurposing, while adding two extra designated low-carbon residential communities to the roster. Incinerator bottom ash (IBA) recovered from the city’s incinerator facilities is found to produce 85,000 tons of recycled aggregates annually to replace natural sandstones used in municipal public works. Yongkang Reclaimed Water Plant, “the first water reclamation facility for high tech production projects” in Tainan, and the second such facility – Yongkang Reclaimed Water Facility – are now fully operational. Moreover, the traditional Styrofoam buoys used in oyster farms have been supplanted by more environmentally-friendly options. These optimized reuse-and-repurpose projects have helped to cut down waste.
Tainan City Government upholds taxation and residential justice for all, and takes measure to drive the real estate market toward the basis of construction and health development, in hopes of making Tainan a livable city for all. The number of households eligible for property tax cuts in Tainan City – pursuant to the nationwide single-family home ownership and residence stipulations – amounts to 244,000. Meanwhile, revisions were made to “Tainan City Housing Tax Self-governing Regulations,” adjusting the number of homeowners from 1.5% to 1.8%, 2.4%, or 3.6%. Also, to acknowledge public demand for quality housing, and provide necessary residential assistance to youth and the disfranchised, Tainan City Government made “Housing Justice Trilogy” the core of its housing policy, which consists of rent subsidies, professional tenant and leasing management for empty houses, and social housing, so as to improve people’s residential experience. It also continued to optimize its housing policy implementation. As of the end of 2022, 26,000 households throughout Tainan City have received rent subsidies. The professional tenant and leasing management was inaugurated to boost the use of privately-owned empty houses, and so far, 4,714 houses have been successfully put into good use. That being said, Tainan City’s social housing policy comprised of a myriad of programs. It’s estimated that 7,000 social housing units will be built by 2024.
Tainan City Government also applied for subsidization from the Ministry of Culture for a special project to recreate heritage sites and historic scenarios, to help restore Tainan City’s 400-year-old, iconic historic spaces. “Subsidies to Rebuild Tainan City Historic Block and Historic Houses” were kicked off accordingly. “The 2022 Tainan City Longci Niupu Badlands Landform Park and Nature Reserve Management Program” to uphold geological protection. Additionally, Tainan City Government has endeavored to strengthen “Chacha Cultural Heritage Education Park” in Longtian, bolster cultural heritage education resources in Sibei area, preserve Beitouyang traditional tribal culture in Hsiaolongshe of Jiali District, and erect a Beitouyang Aboriginal Cultural Park.
Thoughtfully landscaped parks are installed throughout different public spaces, to ensure safe, smooth pedestrian travel across the city. To date, the length of unobstructed veranda that serpentines the city is measured at 56.14 kilometers, comprising 79 routes. Additionally, Tainan City Government has optimized the bus hub fronting the railway station, and carefully streamlined the travel routes surrounding the railway station.
Reflected in Tainan City’s Voluntary Local Reviews for 2021 are ten Sustainable Development Goals, 55 sub-goals, and standards for continuous re-examination; the 2022 VLR presentation also further revealed the city’s 17 SDG achievements. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions recorded by Tainan City has dropped by over 20% since 2010. The “energy transition” program also expedites Tainan’s Solar City Initiative, which registers a year-by-year growth of at least 0.25 gigawatts. The installed capacity is estimated to reach 10 gigawatts by 2050.
In terms of climate action, Tainan City Government proposed the first version of its climate change adaptation program in 2015, which listed 83 action plans. Concerted efforts have been taken to increase citizens’ disaster prevention awareness to minimize casualties, property loss and social unrest caused by climate calamities.
During the UNFCCC COP27, representatives from Tainan City also presented six major outcomes achieved in the city’s waste upcycling and reuse initiative. Moreover, Tainan City Government released “Tainan City’s Journey to Carbon Neutrality by 2050” on June 1, 2022, specifying the milestones and specific actions to achieve the goal, which encompasses specific implementation steps, a partnership between public and private sectors and effective regulations.
Tainan City Government has adopted a series of participatory urban planning projects. It’s appointed a task force, along with 57 workstations, to rebuild unsafe and old buildings and offered assistance to those applying for subsidies to renovate their residences. A revitalization of publicly-owned estates, nine publicly-initiated urban renewal projects, and land development strategies were put into motion to acknowledge the voice of the people; an online polling for citizens to establish and rezone park spaces was also pioneered. “Shalun Smart Green Energy Science Community” was launched as a key demonstration area for the smart city initiative, which will also serve as the R&D base and demonstration area of the Asian-Pacific Green Energy Development Center to promote renewables and the setup of smart grids.
Tainan City Government promoted international exchange efforts through an artist-in-residence program. It also signed a Friendship City Partnership with Torrance of California, a MOU with New Orleans of Louisiana during a videoconference; on top of which, Tainan City also enjoyed extensive, friendly exchange with local administrators of Gold Coast, Australia, Edinburg of Scotland, and Yamaguchi of Japan.
International Orchid Exhibition, International Mango Festival, WBSC U-12 and the Tainan Historical Capital International Half Marathon will be held at different times throughout the year for dignitaries and guests from Tainan’s friendship cities to foster friendship.
Tainan City Government has launched disaster management initiatives for residential communities to improve city resilience . A locality-centric, integrated flood management program was put in place to implement zero urban runoff. Additionally, the simulated community voluntary mudslide prevention drills and actual exercises for the city’s 48 mudslide-prone rivers were held.
Tainan City Government has worked hard to fortify transportation network within Tainan Science Park, bracket the industrial complex in Yongkang District, establish a transportation network within the Shalun Smart and Green Energy Science Community, improve roadway quality in key commercial and urban areas that expand to include travel routes around Anping District. The city’s railway reconstruction project has extended to Yongkang District, significantly expanding the size of the city’s prime district. In terms of Tainan City’s metro system, phase one of the integrated plan for the Blue Line has been delivered to the central government for review. The City is home to 133 bus routes, including six adaptable routes. The city’s nine multistory car parks offer 2,630 slots for vehicles and 1,448 slots for motorbikes.
Reclaimed building material depository under Tainan Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage has welcomed 62 donations of used building materials, and 71 applications for used building materials repurposing, while adding two extra designated low-carbon residential communities to the roster. Incinerator bottom ash (IBA) recovered from the city’s incinerator facilities is found to produce 85,000 tons of recycled aggregates annually to replace natural sandstones used in municipal public works. Yongkang Reclaimed Water Plant, “the first water reclamation facility for high tech production projects” in Tainan, and the second such facility – Yongkang Reclaimed Water Facility – are now fully operational. Moreover, the traditional Styrofoam buoys used in oyster farms have been supplanted by more environmentally-friendly options. These optimized reuse-and-repurpose projects have helped to cut down waste.
Tainan City Government upholds taxation and residential justice for all, and takes measure to drive the real estate market toward the basis of construction and health development, in hopes of making Tainan a livable city for all. The number of households eligible for property tax cuts in Tainan City – pursuant to the nationwide single-family home ownership and residence stipulations – amounts to 244,000. Meanwhile, revisions were made to “Tainan City Housing Tax Self-governing Regulations,” adjusting the number of homeowners from 1.5% to 1.8%, 2.4%, or 3.6%. Also, to acknowledge public demand for quality housing, and provide necessary residential assistance to youth and the disfranchised, Tainan City Government made “Housing Justice Trilogy” the core of its housing policy, which consists of rent subsidies, professional tenant and leasing management for empty houses, and social housing, so as to improve people’s residential experience. It also continued to optimize its housing policy implementation. As of the end of 2022, 26,000 households throughout Tainan City have received rent subsidies. The professional tenant and leasing management was inaugurated to boost the use of privately-owned empty houses, and so far, 4,714 houses have been successfully put into good use. That being said, Tainan City’s social housing policy comprised of a myriad of programs. It’s estimated that 7,000 social housing units will be built by 2024.
Tainan City Government also applied for subsidization from the Ministry of Culture for a special project to recreate heritage sites and historic scenarios, to help restore Tainan City’s 400-year-old, iconic historic spaces. “Subsidies to Rebuild Tainan City Historic Block and Historic Houses” were kicked off accordingly. “The 2022 Tainan City Longci Niupu Badlands Landform Park and Nature Reserve Management Program” to uphold geological protection. Additionally, Tainan City Government has endeavored to strengthen “Chacha Cultural Heritage Education Park” in Longtian, bolster cultural heritage education resources in Sibei area, preserve Beitouyang traditional tribal culture in Hsiaolongshe of Jiali District, and erect a Beitouyang Aboriginal Cultural Park.
Thoughtfully landscaped parks are installed throughout different public spaces, to ensure safe, smooth pedestrian travel across the city. To date, the length of unobstructed veranda that serpentines the city is measured at 56.14 kilometers, comprising 79 routes. Additionally, Tainan City Government has optimized the bus hub fronting the railway station, and carefully streamlined the travel routes surrounding the railway station.
Reflected in Tainan City’s Voluntary Local Reviews for 2021 are ten Sustainable Development Goals, 55 sub-goals, and standards for continuous re-examination; the 2022 VLR presentation also further revealed the city’s 17 SDG achievements. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions recorded by Tainan City has dropped by over 20% since 2010. The “energy transition” program also expedites Tainan’s Solar City Initiative, which registers a year-by-year growth of at least 0.25 gigawatts. The installed capacity is estimated to reach 10 gigawatts by 2050.
In terms of climate action, Tainan City Government proposed the first version of its climate change adaptation program in 2015, which listed 83 action plans. Concerted efforts have been taken to increase citizens’ disaster prevention awareness to minimize casualties, property loss and social unrest caused by climate calamities.
During the UNFCCC COP27, representatives from Tainan City also presented six major outcomes achieved in the city’s waste upcycling and reuse initiative. Moreover, Tainan City Government released “Tainan City’s Journey to Carbon Neutrality by 2050” on June 1, 2022, specifying the milestones and specific actions to achieve the goal, which encompasses specific implementation steps, a partnership between public and private sectors and effective regulations.