TAIPEI (DPA) – More than 100 people gathered outside Taiwan’s parliament on Friday (Sept 27) to call for stronger action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The rally was organised by the Taiwan Healthy Air Alliance, the Taiwan Homeworkers Union, and other civic and environmental groups.

Lawmakers from the governing Democratic Progressive Party and opposition parties are also set to attend.

A spokesman for the alliance, Ms Wang Ching, told dpa that the rally was organised in response to the global climate strike called by teen climate activist Greta Thunberg.

“We want to put the government on notice to take more effective action to cope with the climate crisis,” Ms Wang said, adding that existing laws in the country were “no longer enough because there’s not enough time”.

Friday’s programme is to feature performances by indigenous groups and statements from US, Japanese and European high school students. A so-called “last supper for the planet” lunch is scheduled to take place in front of the legislative compound.

Braving heavy rain, protesters held up placards featuring slogans including “Taiwan Net Zero Carbon Emissions, Children have future” and “100 Per Cent Renewable Energy for Taiwan”.

Although Taiwan is excluded from the United Nations due to opposition from China, the government is voluntarily following the Paris Accord to mitigate climate change.

It launched a national climate change response action plan in 2017 which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 50 per cent of their 2005 levels by 2050.

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