Key Takeaways
- The Taiwan Space Agency is playing a central role in a ten-year international MRV initiative endorsed by IPSI under UNU-IAS.
- The program aligns with COP30 priorities on mitigation, adaptation, Nature-based Solutions, and Indigenous participation.
- A System-of-Systems MRV framework integrates satellite data, modeling, and ground validation.
- The initiative supports biodiversity-based carbon credits listed on the AirCarbon Exchange.
- Taiwan is positioned as a demonstration hub for scalable climate and biodiversity governance models.
Taiwan Space Agency Supports Integrated Climate Governance Framework
As the world approaches a critical milestone in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) is expected to emphasize integrated mitigation and adaptation strategies, Nature-based Solutions, and the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in climate action.
Within this global context, a ten-year international collaborative program endorsed by the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) under the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) is being implemented with Taiwan as a key demonstration hub. The initiative applies a System-of-Systems approach to Monitoring, Reporting, Validation, and Verification (MRV) of greenhouse gases and carbon cycles in biodiversity-rich ecosystems, with active involvement from the Taiwan Space Agency.
The project is centered on Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS) and is designed to address ecosystem integrity, Indigenous rights, and the credibility of carbon markets—core themes expected to feature prominently at COP30.
Taiwan Space Agency Integrates Space Technology Into MRV Systems
A key contributor to the initiative is Dr. Tsung-Sheng Cheng, Director of the Education Office at the Taiwan Space Agency, who has focused on applying satellite and remote sensing technologies to sustainability challenges. By combining satellite observations, ground-based sampling, ecological and carbon cycle modeling, and machine learning, the System-of-Systems MRV framework reduces reliance on dense field plots while maintaining scientific accuracy.
This integrated approach enables large-area coverage, long-term monitoring, and transparent, publicly verifiable data—features increasingly required by international climate governance and voluntary carbon market standards.
Prof. Shu-Mei Wang of National Taiwan University noted that conventional ecosystem monitoring methods often depend on intensive field sampling, making them costly and impractical for large or long-term projects. These constraints have limited the participation of many nature-based initiatives in international carbon markets.
Linking MRV Innovation With Carbon Markets
The MRV framework serves as the technical foundation of the Satoyama Mace Initiative, a transnational program endorsed by IPSI in 2024. Carbon credits generated under this initiative have completed listing and sales agreements with the AirCarbon Exchange in Singapore, indicating institutional acceptance within voluntary carbon markets.
Under this model, carbon credits are positioned as tools supporting landscape restoration, cultural continuity, and local economic resilience, aligning with COP30’s emphasis on people-centered climate solutions.
Scientific Collaboration and Field Validation in Taiwan
The initiative brings together researchers from Taiwan, the United States, and Canada, including members of national academies, to ensure scientific robustness. Field implementation is underway through partnerships between National Cheng Kung University, local agricultural cooperatives, and teams associated with the Taiwan Space Agency, validating the integration of satellite data and ground observations in agricultural and Satoyama landscapes.
Designed for global replication, the framework highlights Taiwan’s emerging role at the intersection of space technology, biodiversity conservation, and inclusive climate governance as climate policy enters the post-COP30 phase.
