Net Zero Institute
The Net-Zero Institute, established by Kaohsiung City's Environmental Protection Bureau, is Taiwan's first physical carbon reduction classroom initiated by a local government. It has received the Excellence in Governance Award from CommonWealth Magazine and the Executive Yuan Sustainability Award. The academy focuses on three main pillars: Southern talent cultivation, carbon reduction technology exchange, and policy advocacy. Collaborating with five major international verification organizations, it offers certification courses on carbon sinks, negative carbon technologies, carbon trading, and carbon reduction techniques.
Talent Cultivation and Collaboration
The Net-Zero Institute works with 18 universities and related institutions to nurture sustainability talents. It provides seed training for middle and high school teachers and introduces the "Youth Net-Zero Special Program" for students, planting seeds of carbon reduction in schools. Additionally, National Tsing Hua University offers an "Executive Master's Credit Program on Climate Finance and Innovative Low-Carbon Strategies" through the academy, integrating green finance into education.
International Cooperation and Exchange
Kaohsiung’s Net-Zero Hub has attracted international guests from the UK, Germany, Japan, Israel, and other countries to share net-zero solutions. Through the "Net-Zero Public Lecture Series," the academy connects citizens and industries to discuss topics such as natural carbon sinks, negative carbon technologies, and green living, promoting citizen engagement and a fair transition.
Course Achievements and Promotion
To date, the academy has conducted 121 courses, including 63 certification courses, 51 general education courses, and 7 technical courses. A total of 4,400 participants have been trained, with over 1,500 certificates issued by international verification organizations. These courses are open to participants from other counties and cities. Staff members explain course details and invite participants to join the academy’s community to increase exposure and enhance course promotion. The academy also organizes technical exchanges using resources from the Net-Zero Industry Alliance. Successful industrial experiences—such as ASE’s water recycling and plastic waste circularity, China Steel Corporation’s steel co-production technology, and Xingda Power Plant’s hydrogen blending—are shared to accelerate net-zero transformation in traditional industries.
Sustainable Transition and Collaboration
Kaohsiung uses the Net-Zero Academy as a base for talent cultivation in net-zero topics while sharing resources with six southern counties through online courses to expand the impact of sustainability education. This demonstrates Kaohsiung's determination to transform from an industrial city into a leader in sustainable development. The academy not only nurtures sustainability talents but also builds bridges between academia and industry, providing solid support for Kaohsiung’s industrial transformation efforts.