Energy Supply Instability: Civil Groups Call for Energy Conservation Movement, Not Just Subsidies
Multiple civil groups held a press conference, criticizing the government's energy subsidy policy in response to global energy supply instability after the US-Iraq War. They pointed out that subsidies for natural gas, electricity, and oil prices cause the public to overlook the energy crisis and neglect their responsibility for conservation. The Homemakers Union, Green Citizens' Action Alliance, and Taiwan Climate Action Network Research Center urged the government to immediately implement a nationwide energy conservation movement.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 12:55
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Taipei, April 14 (CNA) Multiple civil groups held a press conference today, stating that after the outbreak of the US-Iraq War, global energy supply has been unstable. The government announced a freeze on natural gas and electricity prices and a gradual increase in oil prices, responding to the crisis with energy subsidies. However, these subsidies cause the public to overlook the current energy crisis and fail to recognize their responsibility for energy conservation. They called on the government to immediately implement a feasible nationwide energy conservation movement.
The Homemakers Union, Green Citizens' Action Alliance, and Taiwan Climate Action Network Research Center held a press conference today at the Legislative Yuan titled "Facing the Energy Crisis: Price Freeze is a Symptomatic Treatment, Energy Conservation is the Root Cause."
Chang Chiung-ting, a professor and director at the Institute of Public Affairs Management, National Sun Yat-sen University, stated that importing energy subsidies means living with subsidized prices. For example, if a barrel of oil costs 100 yuan, and the government subsidizes 60 yuan, people might think they are living on 40 yuan. However, this situation might crowd out other important expenditures such as education and social welfare.
Wu Pi-shuang, CEO of the Homemakers Union and Foundation, said that oil and electricity subsidies are short-term pain relief, but if there is no change in electricity consumption behavior or system design, the problem will recur. The government should immediately do three things: first, the government should take the lead in establishing a governance culture of energy conservation combined with institutional design; second, strengthen peak load management in summer, establish flexible work schedules and demand management mechanisms; third, establish energy conservation support systems for families and communities.
Wu Pi-shuang stated that Taiwan is currently facing a social choice: whether to solve the crisis with subsidies or to build a more resilient energy society.
Chen Shih-ting, a senior researcher at the Green Citizens' Action Alliance, said that Taiwan's industrial sector uses as much as 55% of the electricity and should bear corresponding responsibility for electricity conservation. According to data from the Bureau of Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs, the actual energy saving potential of the industry has long exceeded current policy requirements, but the electricity saving rate set by the Ministry of Economic Affairs is too low to effectively drive the industry to deep energy conservation. She called on the government to tighten the electricity saving targets for large and super-large energy users and strengthen information transparency by publicly listing non-compliant enterprises to encourage enterprises to implement energy conservation more effectively.
Hsiao Tai-chi, a researcher at the Institute of Economics, Academia Sinica, pointed out that the government currently uses many subsidies for various public affairs, forming a "subsidy addiction" phenomenon. Energy prices should reflect costs, and the money saved should be returned or universally distributed to low-income households. This way, prices can be adjusted, and low- and middle-income households will not have difficulty making ends meet. (Editor: Lin Shu-yuan) 1150414
The Homemakers Union, Green Citizens' Action Alliance, and Taiwan Climate Action Network Research Center held a press conference today at the Legislative Yuan titled "Facing the Energy Crisis: Price Freeze is a Symptomatic Treatment, Energy Conservation is the Root Cause."
Chang Chiung-ting, a professor and director at the Institute of Public Affairs Management, National Sun Yat-sen University, stated that importing energy subsidies means living with subsidized prices. For example, if a barrel of oil costs 100 yuan, and the government subsidizes 60 yuan, people might think they are living on 40 yuan. However, this situation might crowd out other important expenditures such as education and social welfare.
Wu Pi-shuang, CEO of the Homemakers Union and Foundation, said that oil and electricity subsidies are short-term pain relief, but if there is no change in electricity consumption behavior or system design, the problem will recur. The government should immediately do three things: first, the government should take the lead in establishing a governance culture of energy conservation combined with institutional design; second, strengthen peak load management in summer, establish flexible work schedules and demand management mechanisms; third, establish energy conservation support systems for families and communities.
Wu Pi-shuang stated that Taiwan is currently facing a social choice: whether to solve the crisis with subsidies or to build a more resilient energy society.
Chen Shih-ting, a senior researcher at the Green Citizens' Action Alliance, said that Taiwan's industrial sector uses as much as 55% of the electricity and should bear corresponding responsibility for electricity conservation. According to data from the Bureau of Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs, the actual energy saving potential of the industry has long exceeded current policy requirements, but the electricity saving rate set by the Ministry of Economic Affairs is too low to effectively drive the industry to deep energy conservation. She called on the government to tighten the electricity saving targets for large and super-large energy users and strengthen information transparency by publicly listing non-compliant enterprises to encourage enterprises to implement energy conservation more effectively.
Hsiao Tai-chi, a researcher at the Institute of Economics, Academia Sinica, pointed out that the government currently uses many subsidies for various public affairs, forming a "subsidy addiction" phenomenon. Energy prices should reflect costs, and the money saved should be returned or universally distributed to low-income households. This way, prices can be adjusted, and low- and middle-income households will not have difficulty making ends meet. (Editor: Lin Shu-yuan) 1150414
FAQ
What is the main request of the civil groups to the government?
They are calling for the implementation of a nationwide energy conservation movement instead of energy subsidy policies.
What are the problems caused by energy subsidies?
They cause the public to overlook the energy crisis and neglect their responsibility for conservation, and may also crowd out important expenditures such as education and social welfare.