黃泓維1、Ali Ouattara2, 郭建宏1, 胡憲倫3
1博士後研究、2博士生、3特聘教授
台北科技大學 環境工程與管理研究所
生命週期評估(LCA)是用以衡量一個目標系統之環境績效的系統性工具(Hauschild et al. 2020; Herrmann et al. 2025);而伴隨著人類邁向淨零目標,生命週期工程(Life Cycle Engineering, LCE),可視為邁向此一願景的系統性方法(Hauschild et al. 2020)。現今已有許多研究探討不同產品系統如何協助邁向淨零,包含氫能(Lejeune et al. 2026)、糧食(Goss and Sherwood 2024),以及伴隨著地球臨界理論(planetary boundaries; (Rockström et al. 2024; Rockström et al. 2009; Steffen et al. 2015),與基於此環境乘載能力與生命週期評估方法發展的絕對永續性評估(Hjalsted et al. 2021; Kara and Hauschild 2024)等概念,這些新研究議題的發展,意味著永續評估的主軸,已逐漸從所謂的越來越好(better and better),邁向足夠好(good enough)的方向。
台灣邁向淨零的政策過程,大多聚焦在全國範圍內的排放量減少。環境部推動多年的減碳標籤,產品的碳足跡僅需與基準年的排放量進行比較,只要有減少,即可獲得減碳的認證。但這樣的評估僅能判定相對好的產品,缺乏建立一個什麼叫做絕對低碳產品的機制。如此缺乏「絕對低碳」或「絕對永續」之微觀產品層級的相對減碳指標,將面臨兩項主要挑戰(Hauschild et al. 2020):
- 反彈效應(Rebound Effect): 即使單一產品的單位碳排放有所降低,若產品總產量因市場需求而大幅增加,其所造成的絕對環境負荷總量(Alcott 2005; Zink and Geyer 2017),仍可能超越行星邊界(或地球臨界理論),導致國家淨零路徑的破口。
- 減量成效無法有效對接總量:相對減碳無法與宏觀的碳排放額度或氣候科學目標(如《巴黎協定》的1.5°C升溫限制)進行量化連結,缺乏絕對環境閾值(Bjørn and Hauschild 2015; Bjørn et al. 2016),企業難以評估其產品的減碳進程,是否足以支撐全球的淨零時程。
建立絕對永續性產品的標竿值,對於落實淨零目標的關鍵貢獻,體現於以下兩個面向:
1.轉化宏觀的碳排放額度降尺度為產品層級的應用
絕對永續性評估的核心,在於將全球或國家層級的絕對環境臨界閾值(如剩餘碳額度),透過科學化的資源配置原則(Bai et al. 2024),按比例拆解並分配至特定的產品系統或功能單位。此標竿值能為企業提供明確的「碳安全操作空間」,使產品的環境績效,能直接與全球淨零目標接軌。
2.考量具備實質性的技術與製程變革
當標竿值從「與過去相比有進步」轉變為「符合絕對環境承載力」時,將迫使企業放棄邊際性的效率優化,進而轉向破壞性的綠色創新。例如,在氫能供應鏈或糧食系統的開發中,絕對標竿能明確指出哪些製程,具備達成絕對永續的潛力,避免資金與資源錯置於無法滿足淨零終極目標的過渡性技術。
歐盟於2025年發布第一份絕對環境永續性評估指引(Bjørn et al. 2025),標誌著國際趨勢已開始將此概念制度化。台灣作為全球關鍵供應鏈的一環,建立本土產品的絕對永續標竿值,不僅能提供國內產業明確的依循標準,亦能提升台廠在面對國際市場時的綠色競爭力與合規韌性。落實淨零目標,不能僅依賴大方向、原則性的宣告,必須建立在嚴謹的量化科學基礎上。從「相對變好」走向「絕對永續」,是確保人類經濟活動,不超越地球臨界點的必然路徑。建立絕對永續性產品的標竿值,不僅填補了台灣現行減碳標籤等政策,在量化淨零貢獻上的不足,更為企業在產品生命週期管理上,提供了實質且具備科學基礎的指引。本研究團隊目前正在進行相關的研究,希望不久能有成果介紹給大家。
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