The new Taiwan-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) is making waves as the US and Taiwan trade deal sparks environmental risks. Sure, it brings some wins for human rights in Taiwan’s seafood industry, but people are worried about what it means for the environment. Greenpeace USA says the labor reforms look good, but they’re unhappy about the fossil fuel components, and they think those could slow climate progress. Taiwan has agreed to revamp its distant-water fishing fleet, which is the second-largest in the world, but advocates point out that it only really matters if Taiwan actually enforces these changes.

Promised Reforms in Taiwan’s Fishing Industry

Greenpeace USA’s Senior Human Rights Advisor for Global Fisheries, Sari Heidenreich, put it simply: this deal finally gives civil society some of what they’ve been demanding. Taiwan is promising better labor conditions and stronger environmental protections for its fishing fleet, which has gotten a lot of heat for forced labor and trafficking.

One big issue is Taiwan’s two-tier labor system, and migrant fishers get left out of basic protections. The new trade agreement says Taiwan will fix this by allowing fishers to unionize, ensuring they can get Wi-Fi at sea, and granting them the rights they’ve been denied. Campaigners say these are the kinds of changes that could actually stop isolation and abuse.

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Calls for US Accountability and SIMP Reform

While appreciating Taiwan’s commitments, Greenpeace emphasized the need for stronger enforcement by the United States. Heidenreich urged the enforcement of a better Seafood Import Monitoring Program – SIMP 2.0, which would encompass strong labor standards and cover all species of fish, thereby not leaving any loopholes that are being abused in the global seafood industry.

Campaigners are concerned that, without strong U.S. enforcement mechanisms, the risk of forced labor in international supply chains will persist. They believe that by reforming seafood import rules, they would help support Taiwan’s commitments to responsible fisheries and ensure that products linked to labor abuses can’t be sold in the U.S.

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Environmental Issues Related to Purchasing Fossil Fuels

In addition to concerns about labor reform, some environmental organizations expressed concern about Taiwan’s proposed purchase of $44.4 billion in liquefied natural gas and crude oil from the United States over the next four years. Greenpeace stated that, at a time when all nations are obligated to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and make rapid progress toward developing renewable energy, the amount of fossil fuel Taiwan plans to import is disconcerting.

According to Shay Kuo, Oceans Campaigner of Greenpeace located in East Asia, significant structural reform in the governance of fisheries is necessary for the long-term sustainability of fisheries. By weighing the potential economic and strategic benefits against the economic and environmental costs associated with the trade agreement, the US and Taiwan trade deal sparks environmental risks, which is a clear representation of the tension that exists when trying to advance labor rights and achieve the critical climate change objectives.

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