Taiwan Railways Administration obtains carbon footprint label for passenger transport through international certification, marking a new milestone in green transportation

Driven by the goal of net-zero carbon emissions, Taiwan Railway Administration actively promotes carbon footprint assessment and information disclosure as an important step in sustainable transformation. After review and approval by the Ministry of the Environment, TRA officially obtained the right to use the passenger transport service carbon footprint label, becoming the first traditional railway transport service provider in Taiwan to obtain the carbon footprint label and setting a benchmark for green transport services in Taiwan. The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA), formerly known as the Taiwan Railway Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation, was established in 1887 and has a history of more than 137 years. On January 1, 2024, it was restructured into the Taiwan Railway Administration.TRC shoulders the core mission of passenger and freight transportation for the entire Taiwan railway system, covering vehicle operation, infrastructure maintenance, station management, and customer service. It also cooperates with the government in continuously promoting railway modernization projects, making it a crucial transportation infrastructure in Taiwan. Faced with the global trend of net-zero emissions by 2050, the entire social environment and industrial development are undergoing structural changes. Driven by net-zero carbon emissions, Taiwan Railways is actively promoting carbon footprint assessment and information disclosure as an important step in sustainable transformation.Through the promotion of the "2025-2026 Carbon Footprint Assessment and Carbon Reduction Plan for Stations and Passenger Transport Vehicles," and with the completion of carbon footprint verification for the "Tze-Chiang," "Chu-Kuang," and"Local/Local Express" train types. After review and approval by the Ministry of the Environment, Taiwan Railways officially obtained the right to use the passenger transport service carbon footprint label, becoming the first traditional railway transport service operator in Taiwan to obtain the carbon footprint label and setting a benchmark for green transport services in Taiwan. At the carbon footprint label disclosure ceremony, the head of operations for the Asia-Pacific region of Bureau Veritas,During this process, AFNOR Certification followed international standards to conduct carbon footprint audits and data verification for TRA's Tze-Chiang, Ju-Guang, and local/express passenger transport services to ensure data accuracy and compliance. According to the audit results,the Tze-Chiang Express generates 36 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per passenger-kilometer, the Chu-Kuang Express generates 50 grams of CO2e, and the Local/Local Express trains generate 55 grams of CO2e. Taiwan Railways Administration stated that it will continue to promote system-wide carbon management based on this verification data and combine it with measures such as vehicle replacement, energy efficiency improvements, and smart railways to move towards the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.The successful collaboration between Taiwan Railway and FSC not only demonstrates Taiwan Railway's firm commitment to sustainable operations, but also highlights FSC's professional capabilities in the field of carbon management verification. Both parties will continue to work together to realize the vision of a low-carbon society and sustainable development in Taiwan.