Since 2024, the Taitung County Government has actively promoted a net-zero and just-transition guidance program for the red oolong tea industry. The initiative supports tea farmers in preserving tea-crafting traditions while accurately measuring carbon emissions from their farmland. In early 2026, the program achieved remarkable results, as three producers from Luye Township—Daughter’s Tea, Buo-Ya Pavilion Natural Tea Company, and Lin Wang Tea Farm—became the first to obtain ISO 14067 product carbon footprint verification. Combined with internationally certified carbon credits, this makes their product the world’s first carbon-neutral red oolong tea.
On January 6, Deputy Magistrate Wang Chih-hui presented the verification statements and carbon offset certificates to the producers, encouraging them to continue advancing toward sustainability and making tea that is pure and elegant for the world to enjoy.
In response to the global trend of net-zero transition, the Taitung County Government has partnered with the National Development Council to take more action on carbon reduction, commissioning Huanrong Yongxing Co. to provide comprehensive guidance to tea farmers. From tea cultivation, field management, processing, and packaging to transportation and sales, the entire production process complies with ISO 14067 standards. In early 2026, the products passed the rigorous verification of the British Standards Institution (BSI), enabling the producers to accurately identify emission hotspots throughout the production process. Thus, in their pursuit of exceptional flavor, they are fulfilling their commitment to environmental sustainability.
Furthermore, the county government and its implementation team adopted the Gold Standard, widely recognized as the world’s most rigorous voluntary carbon credit certification system, which was initiated by such international non-profit organizations as the World Wide Fund for Nature. By purchasing clean energy carbon credits and granting them to tea producers, the program offsets production-related carbon emissions, yielding a scientifically credible carbon-neutral outcome. As a result, aromatic, tasty red oolong is also climate-friendly.
Deputy Magistrate Wang noted that following the success of Richuhezuo carbon-neutral coffee, Taitung has once again written a new, internationally recognized chapter in sustainability through red oolong tea. This achievement not only fulfills corporate social responsibility but also demonstrates the feasibility of agricultural transformation, giving Taitung a new globally visible identity as a producer of sustainable tea, whose every sip symbolizes loving care for the environment.
Chang Cheng-wen, director of the Department of Finance and Economic Development, added that Taitung red oolong comes from low-altitude hilly tea regions and is cultivated in harmony with nature. Amber-colored and rich with the aroma of tropical fruit and honey, the tea reflects Taitung’s distinctive character. Through carbon footprint assessments and BSI’s professional verification, tea producers have not only identified key emission sources and how to handle them but also earned a “green ID card” for red oolong, laying a solid foundation for integration into the international low-carbon supply chain.
