Climate change has the potential to cause severe impact on the living environment. It is a major issue that all members of the international community are currently concerned about, and it has a deep relevance to Taiwan, as well as to the industries, on attaining sustainable development. The island attributes of Taiwan are what make Taiwan vulnerable as it faces the impacts of global climate change. According to the current rate of sea-level rise estimated by IPCC, Taiwan’s land area will most definitely be impacted. In addition to the threats to survival, if Taiwan cannot participate in the Kyoto mechanisms established by the UNFCCC to relieve economic pressure from the high cost of carbon reduction, Taiwan’s industries will lose international competitiveness as well as the incentives to move toward a green industrial structure and low-carbon society.

The UNFCCC’s current mechanisms and action response to global climate change will deeply influence the development of the economy, trade, energy, environmental protection for generations to come and will lead to the formation of a new global disposition and market. Taiwan should not be absent at this crucial juncture and should instead actively seek for an appropriate status in the global community in order to maintain its national interest, security and industrial international competitiveness. On September 21, 2009, Taiwan officially announced its intention to seek official participation in UN Specialized Agencies with a priority target set on the "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" (UNFCCC). Currently, the relevant government ministries have listed the target as a priority task, adopting specific approaches and practices and also appealing for support from the international community. It is expected that the joint efforts from all sectors on the implementation of Taiwan’s participation in the UNFCCC will substantially enhance Taiwan's international participation and contributions.

Since assuming power in 2008, Taiwan’s new administration has set energy conservation, carbon reduction and response to climate change as a major policy and endeavors to obtain international support from diplomatic accesses with proactive engagement in pragmatic and constructive dialogue across the Taiwan Strait. In earlier 2009, UN member states for the first time resolved to accept Taiwan as an official observer in the World Health Assembly (WHA). This milestone decision greatly encouraged Taiwan. The unprecedented positive gesture has given Taiwan hope that further support from the international community would lead to Taiwan’s substantial participation in the UNFCCC.