Kaohsiung: Powering a Just Transition Through Green Skills

As governments and industries worldwide accelerate their net-zero commitments, the capacity to cultivate qualified green talent has become a critical driver of future competitiveness. Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s largest industrial city and source of 20% of national emissions, faces both the urgency and the opportunity of transitioning carbon-intensive sectors such as steel, petrochemicals, shipbuilding, and semiconductors.

To steer this transition, the City Government has made talent development a central pillar of a just and inclusive pathway. Following the adoption of the Kaohsiung Net-Zero Development Ordinance, the City launched the Net-Zero Institute in 2023, the first city-led platform in Taiwan to align climate policy, industrial needs, and professional capacity building.

In collaboration with 18 universities, global verification bodies, and major industries, the Institute offers a multi-tiered curriculum spanning foundational net-zero literacy, advanced technical training, and internationally recognized certification programs. Each year, the initiative equips 1,000 participants with ISO-related certifications and trains an additional 2,000 technical professionals through general and specialized net-zero courses, creating a robust talent pipeline for decarbonization, carbon-market development, and low-carbon innovation.

This investment enhances industrial resilience, supports compliance with emerging global mechanisms such as CBAM and carbon fees, and ensures that workers and local suppliers can successfully navigate the transition. Kaohsiung’s model demonstrates how cities can play a decisive role in linking climate policy, workforce development, and sustainable industrial transformation.

The Net-Zero Institute adopts a comprehensive, multi-tiered implementation approach that integrates talent development, governance strengthening, industrial transformation, youth engagement, and international cooperation:

1）Net-Zero Talent Training Programs

• Engages experts from government, industry, academia, and research, forming a faculty of 69 specialists in seven fields.

• Partners with five international certification bodies to deliver accredited courses.

• Provides structured pathways covering foundational literacy, technical training, and certifications.

• Publishes ISO handbooks to support basic competency building.

2. Government Capacity Building

• Senior officials lead by example by obtaining carbon-management certifications.

• Public servants participate in Institute courses to strengthen net-zero governance.

• Completed 2023 carbon inventories for all first- and second-tier city agencies.

• Developed carbon-credit project proposals with potential for formal registration.

3. Just Industrial Transition

• Designs customized corporate training programs aligned with sector needs.

• Conducts in-factory technical exchanges to promote decarbonization learning.
• Hosts exhibitions showcasing Kaohsiung’s progress from planning to action.

4. Youth Green Talent Development

• Provides Train-the-Trainer programs for secondary-school teachers.

• Partners with national university to offer courses on climate finance and low-carbon strategies.

• Organizes a citywide innovation challenge that invites university students to propose net-zero solutions.

5. Net-Zero Public Engagement

• Builds a platform for cross-sector dialogue among government, academia, and industry.

• Promotes net-zero awareness and collective action across the city.

6. International Knowledge Exchange

• Facilitates experience-sharing and professional dialogue with global cities.

• Strengthens Kaohsiung’s international network on net-zero transition and climate governance.

Kaohsiung’s net-zero talent initiative is driven by strong multi-sector collaboration:

• The City’s Environmental Protection Bureau leads overall planning, policy direction, and program implementation for the Net-Zero Institute.
• Five international certification bodies co-develop accredited training programs, introducing global standards and professional expertise.
• Universities and higher education institutions integrate net-zero topics into their curricula, share faculty resources, and deepen academia–industry cooperation.
• Private industries and organizations contribute practical knowledge by sharing decarbonization technologies and operational experience.
• Southern regional and neighboring counties collaborate to jointly cultivate governance talent, deepen cross-jurisdictional exchange, and strengthen net-zero governance capacity across the wider southern region.

The initiative emphasizes visibility, participation, and broad public engagement:

• Targeted communication materials:including course brochures, visual briefs, and digital content, strategically raise awareness of the Net-Zero Institute and make training opportunities accessible to broader stakeholder groups.
• High-visibility public events: such as forums and technical workshops, amplify cross-sector engagement and position the Institute as a regional hub for net-zero capacity building.
• International outreach and knowledge contributions: through global forums, publications, and peer-learning platforms, strengthen the Institute’s international profile and embed Kaohsiung in global net-zero and sustainability networks.

Kaohsiung’s net-zero talent initiative is supported through a mix of local funding and international expertise:

• Environmental Protection Fund of Kaohsiung City Government provides core financing for program implementation.
• International cooperation, including ICLEI and global certification bodies, contributes technical capacity, training resources, and knowledge exchange.

Kaohsiung’s net-zero talent initiative is delivering early results:

• Recipient of the 2024 National Sustainable Development Award from the Executive Yuan.
• Winner of the 2024 Excellence in City Governance Award by CommonWealth Magazine.
• Strengthened net-zero literacy across government, industry, and youth through comprehensive training and updated regulatory knowledge.
• Accelerated implementation of decarbonization policies and support for industry transition, positioning the Institute as a diversified platform for low-carbon technologies, carbon-credit development, and academia–industry collaboration.

The initiative faces several challenges:

• High costs of delivering ISO certification courses in partnership with international verification bodies.
• Need for continuously updated curricula to reflect the latest net-zero policies, technologies, and industry applications.
• Ongoing collaboration with enterprises required to expand course depth and ensure alignment with evolving industry needs.
• Strengthening international visibility and local outreach to increase program exposure and impact.
• Ensuring long-term financial sustainability and effective operational management of the Net-Zero Institute.

Kaohsiung shows how an industrial city can build a strong foundation for net-zero transition by institutionalizing talent development and aligning local needs with global climate goals.

• Replicability factors:
  Government commitment to net-zero, structured talent development systems, integration of industry-specific needs, and alignment with international standards and trends.
• Lessons learned:
  Embed net-zero governance across public agencies, strengthen partnerships with industry, promote cross-county collaboration, and cultivate youth as the next generation of green talent.
• Conclusion:
  The establishment of the Net-Zero Institute not only accelerates workforce development but also serves as essential infrastructure for Kaohsiung’s net-zero transition and its ability to navigate emerging global trade and carbon regulations. The model offers valuable insights for other cities seeking to combine talent pipelines with strategic climate action.

• Kaohsiung City Government – Environmental Protection Bureau
• Kaohsiung Net Zero Institute

Inquiries can be directed through iclei-kaohsiung@iclei.org for any case-related questions