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State of Israel
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WITH CLIMATE CHANGE
IN ISRAEL
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Special Issue | UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference | December 2009
Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection
www.environment.gov.il
FROM KYOTO TO COPENHAGEN:
A WORD FROM ISRAEL'S MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
A solar "tree" based on concentrated photovoltaics/
photo: Dani Machlis, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Israel is a small, densely
populated country charac­
terized by an expan­ding
population and economic
growth against a backdrop
of land and water scarcity.
Under a "business as usual"
scenario, forecasts indicate
that mounting energy
consumption coup­led with
escalating traffic congestion
will bring about significant
increases in greenhouse gas
emissions by 2020. Israel is
determined to change this
trend.
Although a small contributor
to global warming, Israel
regards itself as a full and
active partner in global
efforts to promote a low
carbon economy. Just a
little more than six months
ago, our cabinet approved
the establishment of a
Ministerial Committee on
Environmental Protection
and
Climate
Change,
underlining
the
new
priority given to climate
change in Israel. At present,
an interministerial directors-general committee is working on
formulating a national climate change plan for Israel which will
consist of both mitigation and adaptation measures. In parallel,
several studies are ongoing on mapping mitigation options,
adapting to climate change and preparing a greenhouse gas
abatement cost curve for Israel.
Since its creation some 61 years ago, Israel has invested major
efforts in research and development in order to overcome the
country's scarcity of natural resources, especially energy, land
and water. It has faced these challenges by developing cutting
edge technologies in such fields as efficient management
of water resources (including drip irrigation and wastewater
reuse), sophisticated agriculture and afforestation, desalination,
solar energy, and innovative approaches to prevent and
combat desertification. Based on this accumulated experience
with limited water resources, intense solar radiation and high
temperatures, Israel can well contribute technological solutions
for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Today we are ready to
serve as a regional laboratory and center of excellence to prepare
for and adapt to changing climatic conditions.
In recent years, we have begun to take steps to improve the
efficiency and conservation of energy systems, effect changes in
energy consumption patterns, advance the use of natural gas in
power stations and industry, promote clean, public transportation
systems, encourage green building and give higher priority to
renewable energy sources (with an emphasis on solar energy).
Additional steps will be introduced, taking account of both the
decisions taken at Copenhagen and the results of our studies on
greenhouse gas mitigation options.
Israel's delegation to the Copenhagen Climate Change
Conference includes representatives of government ministries,
local authorities, the industrial sector, the electricity sector,
academic and research institutions and environmental nongovernmental organizations. All are committed to combating
climate change. Their hopes and visions are reflected on the
following pages.
As we gather in Copenhagen to negotiate the post-2012 climate
agreement, we must explore joint efforts for reducing emissions,
ensuring global environmental protection, and improving the
quality of life for all, regionally and globally. No country can
overcome the challenge alone. Protecting our planet from
the ravages of climate change requires concerted efforts and
mutual assistance. Israel stands willing and able to shoulder its
responsibilities to the best of its ability together with members
of the global community. At the same time, our advanced
technologies provide us with new opportunities to find
innovative solutions to the challenges lying ahead, in terms of
both mitigation and adaptation, and to transfer these innovative
technologies to countries worldwide.
MK Gilad Erdan
Minister of Environmental Protection, Israel
COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN ISRAEL
Haifa bay/photo: Ilan Malester
PREPARING FOR POST-KYOTO
Israel is preparing a program of mitigation, adaptation and technology development to confront
the challenges of climate change
At the 13th Climate Change Conference in Bali, which took place
in December 2007, Parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change adopted a road map which
charts the course for a future international agreement on tackling
climate change, which will come into effect after the commitment
period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. Four major building
blocks were identified at Bali as crucial to the process because
they will determine how the new agreement, whose draft is
expected to be completed in 2009 at the 15th Climate Change
Conference in Copenhagen, will be implemented: mitigation,
adaptation, technology and finance. Israel, for its part, classified
as a non-Annex I country under the Climate Change Convention,
has taken heed of the message and is going forward on all
fronts.
Preparing for the Post-Kyoto Era
Israel, which ratified the Climate Change Convention in 1996
and the Kyoto Protocol in 2004, does not currently have any
binding limitation on its greenhouse gas emissions. This is in
contrast to developed countries which are obligated to reduce
their greenhouse gas emissions by a collective average of 5%
below their 1990 levels during the first commitment period of
the Kyoto Protocol. However, Israel is well aware that climate
change mitigation (action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and enhance sinks) and adaptation (initiatives and measures to
reduce the vulnerability of natural and human systems to climate
change) are no longer options, but rather imperatives. Therefore,
it has initiated several steps to prepare for the post-Kyoto era.
Efforts are currently focusing on the following areas:
› Definition of reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions
in all relevant sectors (energy, waste treatment, transport,
industry and agriculture).
› Preparation of a national action plan to achieve the targets by
2025.
› Preparation of a vulnerability assessment to climate change
and an adaptation plan to confront potential risks and
opportunities.
DECEMBER 2009
› Promotion of research and development and transfer of
information and technology in the fields of water, forestation,
solar energy, land management, and more.
Boosting Research on Climate Change
› In 2005, the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Environmental
Protection issued a call for proposals for research studies
on the impacts of climate change in Israel and means of
adaptation. Ten research projects were approved for funding
on subjects as diverse as the impacts of vegetation on the
urban microclimate and changes in biodiversity as a result of
climate change.
› In September 2008, the Chief Scientist issued an additional
call for proposals for research studies on climate change on
the following subjects: climate change forecasts for Israel
until the year 2030, analysis of climate change trends in Israel
over the past 30 years and anticipated impacts of climate
change until the year 2030 in different areas.
› In September 2009, the Ministry of Environmental Protection
organized a seminar on climate change in Israel, aimed at
assessing expected impacts until 2030-2040, in such areas as
temperature, precipitation, evaporation, and biodiversity.
Toward Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Statistics on greenhouse gas emissions in Israel are not
encouraging, to say the least. Based on Central Bureau of
Statistics data, Israel emitted more than 76 million tons of
greenhouse gases per year (CO2 equivalent) in 2007, a rise of
more than 20% since 1996. In contrast to many developed
countries, whose greenhouse gas emissions are on the decrease,
Israel's emissions are expected to continue to increase under
a "business as usual" scenario, largely due to an increase in its
population (natural increase and immigration), rise in standard
of living and special circumstances including land and water
scarcity. Clearly, the challenge lies in stabilizing emissions and
changing the trend.
WWW.ENVIRONMENT.GOV.IL
Emissions of Direct Greenhouse Gases in Israel (tons)
90,000
11.6
11,52
80,000
72,438
70,000
72,683
72,136
73,513
76,770
74,650
11.4
11.2
Waste, 20%
62,705
11,03
11
50,000
10,78
10.8
10,67
40,000
10,69
10,61
10.6
10,58
30,000
10.4
20,000
Transportation, 20%
Electricity
(generation and oil refining)
56%
10.2
10,000
0
Agriculture
Commercial and Domestic, 1%
and Forestry, 3%
Industry
(esp. cement and lime), 12%
Total per capita
Total 1,000 tons
60,000
Disribution of Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector (2007)
1996
2000
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
0
Source: Israel Bureau of Statistics
Fuel combustion accounts for about 76% of Israel's greenhouse
gas emissions, of which some 56% originate in electricity and
energy production (some 42 million tons) and another 20% in
vehicular emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main component
of greenhouse gas emissions in Israel (some 87%), followed by
methane (CH4) which is largely emitted by landfills and nitrous
oxide (N2O) from agriculture and industry.
Contribution of Direct Greenhouse Gas Emissions to Total
CO2 eq. Emissions (2007)
Methane, 9%
Nitrous
oxide, 4%
Carbon dioxide, 87%
Switching to natural gas in
the electricity sector
› All units approved within the framework of an emergency plan
will be based on natural gas operation – 1760 megawatts
The switch to natural gas in Israel's electricity generation system will play
an important part in Israel's greenhouse gas mitigation strategy
Toward Reduced Pollutant Emissions
Over the past decade a strategic revolution has taken place in Israel's
electricity generation system: a switch to natural gas. Since natural
gas was first introduced into the Eshkol power plant in Ashdod in
February 2004, the share of natural gas in the electricity production
system has reached 40% or some 3,700 megawatts. The move has
already reduced emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases
into the atmosphere and will continue to do so in the future.
Changes in Israel's Electricity Generation
System – 2001-2013
It is anticipated that more than 60% of the Israel Electricity
Corporation's installed production capacity in 2013, some 14,000
mg, will be based on natural gas:
› Eight units which were fueled by heavy oil (in Ashdod, Tel Aviv
and Haifa) were converted to natural gas – 1620 megawatts
› Production units which were fueled by diesel fuel have or will be
converted to natural gas – 2230 megawatts
› 8 combined cycle units were or will be constructed for natural gas
operation – 2950 megawatts
In parallel to the use of natural gas, the Electricity Corporation
expects to invest some 2 billion dollars over the coming decade in the
country's existing coal-fired units in order to adapt them to European
conditions. These projects are expected to reduce pollutant emissions
significantly in comparison to today's levels.
According to Electricity Corporation assessments, these steps are
expected to bring about a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
from the electricity generation system in 2030, in comparison to the
emissions that were anticipated in a business as usual scenario,
based on emission factors for 2005.
Calculating Emissions and their Costs in the Long Term
As part of Israel's preparations for the Copenhagen Climate Change
Conference, the Electricity Corporation carried out simulations of
different development plans in the electricity generation system for
the years 2020-2030 in order to assess the implications of different
greenhouse gas emissions reduction scenarios on the electricity
sector.
COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN ISRAEL
What's Been Done to Tackle
Climate Change in Israel?
› Israel ratified the Climate Change Convention in 1996 and the
Kyoto Protocol in 2004.
› The Ministry of Environmental Protection in cooperation with
the Central Bureau of Statistics publishes its greenhouse gas
emissions inventory on an annual basis.
› In 1998, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, in
cooperation with the S. Neaman Institute for Advanced
Studies in Science and Technology, prepared an initial study
on options for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in Israel,
based on conditions in 1996.
› In 2004, a Designated National Authority for authorizing
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in Israel was
established and, to date, 46 projects have been submitted for
approval, of which 16 are registered with the United Nations.
› In 2005, Israel Standard 5281 for buildings with reduced
environmental impact (green buildings) was published by the
Standards Institution of Israel.
› In 2007-2008, the Ministry of Environmental Protection
commissioned updated studies on options for mitigating
greenhouse gas emissions in Israel, consisting of forecasts
for greenhouse gas emissions by sectors and options for
mitigation for each scenario, accompanied by cost benefit
analyses to the national economy.
› In 2007, a landfill levy came into effect in Israel. According
to the law, the fees collected are deposited and managed
in a separate fund and are used for the development and
promotion of alternatives to landfilling which are less harmful
to the environment.
› In 2007, the Ministry of Environmental Protection initiated the
preparation of an adaptation assessment, whose first phase
was completed in 2008.
› In 2008-2009, several regulations and standards on energy
efficiency and energy labeling of electrical appliances were
published, in addition to regulations and standards published
in previous years.
› In 2009, a draft protocol of guidelines for the establishment of
a voluntary mechanism for greenhouse gas emissions registry
and reporting in Israel was prepared, with expectations that a
pilot registry will be launched in 2010.
› In September 2009, the Ministry of Environmental Protection
commissioned a study from McKinsey and Company for the
preparation of a carbon abatement cost curve for Israel that
quantifies reduction measures across sectors.
› In 2009, Israel began preparing its Second National
Communication on Climate Change in Israel to be submitted
to the UN.
› In 2009, a major energy conservation campaign was
inaugurated by the Ministry of National Infrastructures, the
Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Israel Electricity
Corporation to raise awareness of energy efficiency among
the general public.
› In 2009-2010, educational programs on energy efficiency
targeted at kindergarten, elementary school and junior
high school have and will be incorporated into the formal
educational system.
› In 2009, an energy management standard, ISO 50001, was
distributed for public comment with the expectation that pilot
programs in a number of companies will begin in 2010.
Photovoltaic panels at BGU's Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center test site/
photo: Dani Machlis, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
DECEMBER 2009
WWW.ENVIRONMENT.GOV.IL
Energy-Related Government Decisions
› January 13, 2008: Approval of a government proposal on
the promotion of clean energy use by means of green taxes.
As of August 2009, purchase tax rates on vehicles are linked
to the emission rates of five pollutants: carbon monoxide,
hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, particulates and carbon
dioxide.
› August 21, 2008: Approval of a government proposal on the
promotion of research, technology development and energy
production in the field of renewable energy. The goals of the
new plan, slated for implementation in 2008-2012, are to
increase renewable energy sales and increase research and
development investments in the field. One proposal calls for
establishing a research and development center for renewable
energy technologies in the Negev over a five year investment
period.
› September 18, 2008: Approval of a government proposal
on energy efficiency, which aims to bring about 20% savings
in anticipated electricity consumption by 2020. The program
relates to energy efficiency as a means of tackling climate
change. Among the proposed measures: energy savings
in the home and in government structures, green building,
higher energy efficiency standards for electrical appliances,
information programs on wise use of electricity and
establishment of an energy efficiency fund.
› January 29, 2009: Approval of a government proposal on
establishing targets and formulating tools for the promotion
of renewable energy, especially in the Negev and Arava arid
regions. The decision calls for generating 10% of Israel's
electricity from renewable sources by 2020, with 5% by 2014,
and for identifying and allocating lands in the Negev and
Arava for the construction of power plants from renewable
energies.
Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is an especially difficult
challenge in Israel, a country undergoing economic growth
against a backdrop of continuous increases in both population
and energy consumption. Yet Israel is determined to address
the difficulties. Current efforts are concentrating on assessing
greenhouse gas emissions under different scenarios while
identifying the steps necessary to reduce these emissions in an
economically viable manner. Among the measures which have
already been proposed are energy savings, both in buildings and
in street lighting, by means of energy efficient light bulbs. Also on
the agenda are energy conservation, energy efficiency in power
plants, industrial plants and residential buildings, clean public
transport and more.
Israel's Adaptation to Climate Change
Alongside the preparation of inventories, forecasts, scenarios and
mitigation measures, adaptation to climate change is on Israel's
agenda. Without doubt, there is strong evidence to suggest that
global warming has largely been caused by human activities, but
whatever the cause, one thing is certain: adaptation strategies
must be formulated and implemented in order to address the
dire impacts of climate change which are already evident today
and will be further aggravated in the near future. And what's
more, these impacts, according to the Fourth Assessment Report
of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), are
expected to be more severe in the Mediterranean Sea basin than
in many other parts of the world.
In fact, Israel has witnessed a warming trend since the beginning
of the 1970s, with average temperatures expected to rise by 1.5
degrees Celsius by 2020 and by up to 5 degrees Celsius by the
end of the century compared to 1960-1990, based on moderate
IPCC scenarios. Recent years have also witnessed an increase in
the frequency and length of extreme weather events, including
years which are either exceedingly wet or exceedingly dry, with
predictions pointing to further increases in the number and
frequency of such events (e.g., drought years, floods, heat waves).
Precipitation is expected to decrease by 10% by 2020 and by 20%
by 2050 while sea level rise in the Mediterranean is predicted to
increase by 0.5 meters in 2050 and one meter by 2100. Additional
impacts include reduced flows to Lake Kinneret and reduced
recharge of groundwater aquifers, agricultural damages, impacts
on public health, and biodiversity changes.
To address these issues, the Ministry of Environmental Protection
set up an interministerial steering committee, headed by the
COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN ISRAEL
Anticipated Impacts of Climate Change in Israel
› Water: Reduction of at least 25% in water availability by the
end of the 21st century.
› Coasts and seas: A10 cm rise in sea level may lead to coastline
retreat of 2-10 meters and to the loss of 0.4-2 square kilometers
of coast every 10 years.
Bumper to bumper traffic/Photo: Ilan Malester
Chief Scientist, to check the potential impacts of climate change
on Israel. The objective of the committee was to recommend
ways of preparing and adapting to climate change in a way that
would reduce potential damages, on the one hand, and promote
the development of new concepts and technologies to address
the problems, on the other hand.
With the aid of working groups, made up of experts in different
disciplines, a draft document was presented for comment during
a workshop held in the beginning of 2008, with the participation
of some fifty experts, directors general of government ministries
and numerous stakeholders. By the summer of 2008, the results
of the two year process were evident in the form of an initial yet
comprehensive report which addresses the anticipated impacts of
climate change on Israel and presents interim recommendations
on adaptation measures in each of the following sectors: water,
drainage, agriculture, seas and coasts, urban environment, public
health, biodiversity, energy and the economy. Plans now call for
these interim recommendations to be developed into a national
plan on climate change adaptation.
› Agriculture: Damage to crops due to decrease in water
availability and 20% increase in water demand and due to
pests better suited to warmer climate. Some crops may benefit
from increased CO2 levels.
› Biodiversity: Migration of Mediterranean species northward
and their replacement by desert ecosystems from the Negev.
However, most Mediterranean species seem to be resilient
to the forecasted changes, so that the Israeli landscape is
expected to remain relatively stable. A sharp decrease in
precipitates in the south has caused extensive changes in land
cover and underlying biota, creating runoff and soil erosion.
› Energy: Average long-term increase in electricity demand in
the order of 3.2% per year due to increased demand for air
conditioning and cooling.
Desertification/Photo: Jenny Rollo
Photo: IDE Technologies Ltd.
Ashkelon desalination plant/
› Public health: Increase in mosquito populations and their
distribution may increase the risk of disease.
According to initial estimates, inaction has a high economic cost.
Failure to take the necessary actions to adapt to climate change
today would carry a high price tag by the year 2020: inaction in
responding to the water scarcity problem may cost the economy
450 million shekels per year (about $120 million), neglecting the
impacts of sea level rise may cost 6 billion shekels, flood damages
are expected to cost 340 million shekels a year, while damages to
agriculture may reach some 3 billion shekels a year.
Mitigation and Adaptation Technologies
Clearly, technology is linked both to mitigation and adaptation,
and Israel is poised to play its part in the development and
transfer of new technologies to address these twin issues. Today,
DECEMBER 2009
WWW.ENVIRONMENT.GOV.IL
Hadera power station/Photo: Ilan Malester
its initial report on adaptation to climate change is ready, its
carbon abatement cost curve is nearing completion and new
technologies to meet the challenges of both mitigation and
adaptation are being advanced.
The emphasis of Israel's climate change mitigation plan
and adaptation plan will be on reducing economic, social
and ecological damages, on the one hand, and exploiting
opportunities by developing innovative technologies and
exporting expertise, on the other hand. After 2012, Israel may
well be subject to formal commitments for greenhouse gas
reductions, but hopefully, it will also have much to contribute
to the world community in terms of technology to meet the
challenges of climate change.
the challenges of developing mitigation options for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, on the one hand, and mechanisms for
adaptation to climate change, on the other hand, are generating
new opportunities for companies in Israel and worldwide to find
innovative solutions to the challenges lying ahead.
Based on its rich experience in developing cutting-edge
technologies in such fields as water management, recycling and
reuse of treated wastewater, desert agriculture and afforestation,
the challenges presented by climate change may well serve
as a lever to position Israel as a regional and global center of
knowledge on adaptation to climate change. Dr. Yeshayahu BarOr, Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Environmental Protection,
strongly believes that "in about 20 years, Europe will experience
some of the conditions that Israel faces today. Therefore, Israel
has a great deal to offer to the international community in terms
of technologies for effluent irrigation, combating desertification,
agriculture and forestation in desert conditions and salinity
reduction."
Developing Israel's Road Map on Climate Change
Clean Air Law, 2008
July 22, 2008 will long be remembered as the day in which
Israel's Knesset (parliament) passed the Clean Air Law. The
law, which was enacted following some three years of
deliberation, will come into effect in January 2011.
The aim of the law is: "to improve air quality and prevent and
reduce air pollution, inter alia, by establishing prohibitions
and obligations according to the precautionary principle,
in order to protect human life, health and quality of life and
to protect the environment including natural resources,
ecosystems and biodiversity, for the public and for future
generations, while considering their needs."
The 97-clause law provides a comprehensive framework
for the treatment and prevention of air pollution by setting
responsibilities and imposing obligations on the government,
local authorities and the industrial sector.
Significantly, the law defines a pollutant, inter alia, as a
material whose presence in the air causes or is liable to cause
changes in climate and weather.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection is advancing an
integrated policy aimed at reducing both greenhouse gas
emissions and local air pollutants. Two parallel developments are
helping to meet these objectives: the accession process to the
OECD, which is already catalyzing Israel to adopt environmental
policies and meet environmental standards that are effective and
economically efficient and the enactment of a Clean Air Law in
Israel.
As Israel prepares for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the
Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen, Denmark, its initial
study on potential mitigation options has been completed,
Tower reflector/Photo: Weizmann Institute of Science, Solar Research Unit
COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN ISRAEL
A CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN
FOR ISRAEL
In accordance with the decision, a directors-general committee
was established, headed by the director general of the Ministry
of Environmental Protection, Dr. Yossi Inbar, and including the
directors general of all relevant ministries. Its mission: to prepare a
climate change policy for Israel and to formulate a national action
plan which will include a plan for the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions (mitigation) and a plan on the country's preparedness
and readiness for climate change (adaptation).
To facilitate the process, professional working groups on different
fields of mitigation and adaptation have been set up. The working
groups on mitigation are charged with preparing scenarios and
identifying means for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,
each in its particular field (e.g., energy, transport, agriculture,
planning and building, etc.), including calculating the costs
of each means. The working groups will recommend national
targets for potential greenhouse gas emissions reduction based
on current Israeli studies and on the results of the international
climate change negotiations for a global agreement (post 2012).
They will specify existing and proposed reduction measures, the
reduction potential of each measure, the cost of implementation,
recommendations for implementation, action plans and
timetables.
Working groups on adaptation will concentrate on such
areas as climate change models, the urban sector, agriculture,
biodiversity, public health, drainage and runoff, water resources
DECEMBER 2009
and economic and insurance aspects. They are charged with
closing the gaps in existing knowledge on the impacts of climate
change in Israel based on different scenarios, surveying available
means for minimizing damage and vulnerability and identifying
Israeli technologies for dealing with climate change that may
assist other countries.
More on Climate Change in Israel
Global warming and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions call for joint action by countries worldwide. In the
Mediterranean Sea basin, even more than in other parts of the
world, the impacts of climate change are reflected in warming
and drying trends, on the one hand, and in an increase in
extreme weather events (floods and heat waves), on the other
hand. Since these trends are associated with adverse impacts on
the water sector, agricultural production, drainage systems, the
energy sector, the coastal environment and more, adaptation
and preparedness are prerequisites.
Although Israel was classified as a non-Annex I country (a
developing economy) under the Climate Change Convention,
a comparison of carbon dioxide emissions per capita between
Israel and other European countries shows that Israel is not far
behind some of the countries with developed economies which
are listed in Annex I of the Convention. In order to quantify Israel's
mitigation potential, the Ministry of Environmental Protection
commissioned an initial study on options for greenhouse gas
emissions reductions in Israel. The study anticipated a further rise
in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the
year 2025, under a business-as-usual scenario, in relation to 2000.
More than 90% of the emissions will come from the energy and
transport sectors, with the rest coming from industrial processes
and waste.
WWW.ENVIRONMENT.GOV.IL
photo: Dani Machlis, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
It is only apt that Israel's Cabinet approved an important
environmental decision on the day its parliament celebrated
World Environment Day in June 2009 – a decision to prepare a
climate change plan for Israel. The decision followed an earlier
resolution, on May 24, 2009, to establish a Ministerial Committee
on Environmental Protection and Climate Change, headed by
Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan.
Photon Energy Transformer & Astrophysics Laboratory (PETAL),
largest dish-shaped solar concentrator in the world/
Mitigation and adaptation measures will be at the heart of Israel's climate change action plan
CO2 per capita emissions in major countries and in Israel in 2006 (tons)
20.00
19.02 19.00
18.00
16.52
16.00
14.00
12.00
9.15 8.86
8.00
7.61
7.22
6.17 5.97
6.00
4.27 3.97
4.00
2.00
1.13
Calculating Greenhouse Gas Emissions
in Israel
At present, an additional study is being carried out by the
Samuel Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and
Technology for a cost-benefit analysis of these and additional
potential mitigation measures and for identifying the barriers and
introducing solutions for these measures. In parallel, in September
2009, the ministry commissioned a study from McKinsey and
Company for the preparation of a carbon abatement cost curve
for Israel that quantifies a range of measures across sectors. The
quantification will have two elements – quantity of carbon abated
and cost of abatement per lever. Initial findings indicate that Israel
will almost double its greenhouse gas emission by 2030.
As Israel prepares for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the
Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen in December 2009,
it remains committed to taking on the challenge of implementing
mitigation and adaptation measures which will benefit both the
country, on a national level, and the global environment. The
preparation of a climate change plan for Israel is expected to reduce
local air pollution while boosting the Israeli economy, by increasing
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the number of people employed in the cleantech sector in Israel
and by developing and transferring new technologies which
will contribute to the global effort to combat climate change.
Forecast of Business as Usual CO2e emissions growth, 2005-2030
MtCO2e
Israel
140
120
+96%
100
80
60
40
20
0
2005
2010
2015
2020
2025
COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN ISRAEL
Source: McKinsey & Company
9.49
Source: International Energy Agency
10.00 9.86
10.00
Stack of Ashkelon power plant/Photo: Ilan Malester
11.14
2030
Industry and Climate Change
FACING UP TO
CLIMATE CHANGE:
THE ISRAEL
MANUFACTURERS
ASSOCIATION
SPEAKS OUT
The Manufacturers Association believes that the challenge of
climate change can be transformed into an opportunity to
promote a holistic policy in Israel that incorporates national
interest while reaching a "win-win" situation – where economic
growth based on efficiency and conservation is a joint interest of
both industry and the environment.
Israel's national priorities
include promoting a market
based economy; supporting
a diverse industry; providing
employment; enabling eco­
nomic growth and attaining
good environmental standards. In line with these priorities,
Israel's climate policy should promote a range of binding policy
actions, develop market based mechanisms, support technology
transfer – emphasizing R&D as a national priority, and maintain
competitiveness while securing employment, maintaining
growth and preventing carbon leakage.
Website: http://www.industry.org.il/Eng/
It is the view of the Israel Manufacturers' Association that an
international climate agreement must produce measurable,
reportable and verifiable actions. It is the responsibility of every
major emitting country to reduce its emissions in order to achieve
the results needed to lower the risk of global climate change. This
new regime should include, if possible, sector-based agreements
with efficient technologies leading to universal targets for
emissions cuts.
The workshop afforded Israeli participants, including
representatives of industry, NGOs and government ministries, an
opportunity to learn from the experience of German technology
providers and energy efficiency service companies. The
presentations underlined the "win-win" implications of energy
efficiency: financial savings to companies and reductions in
greenhouse gas emissions.
Workshop on Energy Efficiency in Industry
June 2009 a German-Israeli Workshop on energy efficiency,
initiated and supported by the German Federal Ministry of
Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, took place
at the Israel Manufacturers Association in Tel Aviv. Its aim was to
demonstrate the considerable energy efficiency potential in the
different branches of industry and to illuminate the concrete
advantages for companies that participate in the international
carbon market.
To achieve emission reduction targets it is important to develop
an enabling market economy. We should support innovation
and competition, a sound and reliable GHG registry, a cap and
trade system, fully bankable allowances, sufficient liquidity and
access to large international carbon markets (such as the EU
Emission Trading Scheme). At the same time, it is important to
prevent prices that could cause economic harm and avoid price
distortion.
In terms of climate change adaptation, investment in R&D of
efficient technologies to confront the impacts of climate change
should be a national priority, with a view to positioning Israel
as a leader in this field. Promotion of desalinization plants and
recycling of treated effluents for agricultural uses are only the
beginning. The time has come for special efforts to be invested
in solar energy which could make a significant contribution, both
nationally and globally.
DECEMBER 2009
WWW.ENVIRONMENT.GOV.IL
Haifa oil refineries/photo: Ilan Malester
In
11
Establishing a Voluntary Mechanism for
an Accounting and Reporting System
of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Israel
On February 13-14, 2008, an international workshop on establishing
a voluntary mechanism for a greenhouse gas registry and reporting
system was convened in Israel. The workshop was organized by
the Air Quality and Climate
Change Division of the
Ministry of Environmental
WORKSHOP ON
Protection in cooperation
GHG ACCOUNTING &
with the Manufacturers
REPORTING SYSTEM
Association of Israel and the
IN ISRAEL
German Federal Ministry
of Environment, Nature
Conservation and Nuclear
Safety.
The aims of the workshop included:
› To examine the significance of greenhouse gas accounting
and reporting;
› To improve the capacity of Israeli companies to take part in
future emissions trading mechanisms;
› To identify projects for reducing emissions in industry and
improving energy efficiency;
› To examine possibilities for cooperation between Israel and
Annex I countries, including Germany;
› To improve the capability of Israeli industry to meet the
standards set in international agreements such as the postKyoto agreements (after 2012).
of Environmental Protection, a pilot project of the greenhouse
gas registry is expected to begin in 2010. The accounting and
reporting mechanism is expected to serve as an important tool
in the management of Israel's greenhouse gas emissions and will
help it meet its obligations within the framework of the postKyoto agreements, including the possibility of emissions trading.
Clean Development Mechanism in Israel
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows emissionreduction projects in developing countries to earn certified
emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one
ton of CO2. These CERs can be traded and sold, and used
by industrialized countries to meet some of their binding
emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol.
Projects must qualify through a rigorous and public
registration and issuance process designed to ensure real,
measurable and verifiable emission reductions that are
additional to those which would have occurred without the
project.
By the end of 2009, 46 projects were presented for approval
to Israel's Designated National Authority (DNA) for the CDM
in the areas of waste, agriculture, fuel switch, energy and
industrial efficiency.
16 CDM projects have been registered with the United Nations
between February 2006 and July 2009, with a potential
annual reduction of 1.8 million tons of CO2.
CERs issued by Israel to date have reached 249,843 tons.
In order to achieve the aims of the workshop,
the following were presented:
› International tools and standards for calculating and
registering emissions.
› An overall survey of the carbon and CDM market in Israel.
› Israeli technologies for the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions.
Subsequent to the workshop, a professional work team was set
up for promoting the establishment of the registry in Israel, with
representatives of the relevant ministries, the private sector, local
government and the general public. With the aid of the Neaman
Institute, which is currently preparing a greenhouse gas reporting
protocol for Israel and methodologies on behalf of the Ministry
12
COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN ISRAEL
Haifa Industrial Zone/Photo: Ilan Malester
› An Israeli initiative on the establishment of a voluntary system
for reporting greenhouse gas emissions within the framework
of Israel's preparedness for the post-Kyoto agreements.
Israel’s cities pledge to reduce air
pollution and greenhouse gases
Main Components of the Convention
Recognition that cities are responsible for a significant amount
of air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, but can also
play a central role in providing solutions for climate change and
improved quality of life, has prompted the mayors of eighteen
major cities in Israel to sign a unique convention in February 2008
– The Convention of the Forum 15 for Reducing Air Pollution and
for Climate Protection (CCP Israel). During a festive ceremony,
attended by Israel's President, Mr. Shimon Peres, and the
country's Interior, Transportation and Environmental Protection
Ministers, the mayors signed an Israeli version of the Climate
Change Protection (CCP) Campaign, initiated by the International
Council for Local Environmental Organizations (ICLEI) – Local
Governments for Sustainability, in which they resolved to promote
environmental quality and join the efforts of cities worldwide to
combat global warming.
Forum 15 – The Israeli Forum of Self Government
Forum 15 brings together fifteen municipalities in Israel, which
receive no financial aid from the government and are managed
as closed economies on the basis of their independent financial
resources. The cities of the Forum include nearly 3 million
residents (approximately 40% of Israel’s population) but it is
estimated that more than 80% of Israel's population makes use
of the municipal and metropolitan services provided by these
cities.
The following cities are members of the Forum: Ashdod, Beersheba,
Givatayim, Herzliya, Hadera, Holon, Haifa, Kfar Saba, Netanya,
Petach Tikva, Rishon Lezion, Rehovot, Ramat Gan, Ra'anana, and
Tel Aviv-Jaffa. The municipalities of Jerusalem, Ashkelon and Bat
Yam joined these cities in signing the Convention on Reducing
Air Pollution and Climate Protection.
DECEMBER 2009
In signing the convention, the mayors of eighteen cities in Israel
committed themselves to developing municipal master plans
for the reduction of air pollution and protection of climate, to
joining the CCP campaign, to setting clear, measurable targets for
reducing urban greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and
to achieving the first results of the following five CCP milestones
within three years:
› Establish a basic inventory and forecast for key sources of air
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the city.
› Set targets for air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions
reduction (no less than 20% by 2020 in comparison to 2000).
› Develop and adopt a short to long term local action plan to
reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
› Implement all measures and actions derived from the local
action plan in the city and municipality.
› Monitor and control air pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions and report on the actions and measures
implemented within the framework of the local action plan.
On the Road toward Implementation
To implement the Convention, the signatories are required to
follow a detailed course of action, including four main stages,
each of which dictates a series of activities:
› Preliminary stage – establishing a municipal steering
committee, holding training workshops, receiving budget
approval, and selecting a professional consulting/
supervision team to accompany the municipality
in the preparation and
implementation of the
plan.
WWW.ENVIRONMENT.GOV.IL
13
Ramat Gan National Park/Photo: Forum15
CLIMATE
PROTECTION
ON THE
LOCAL LEVEL
Sustainable cties exhibition/Photo: Forum15
Green roof on office building and Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv
/Photo: Forum15
› Planning stage – performing an urban survey to map and
characterize emissions and their sources, formulating a vision
and guiding policy, defining quantitative reduction targets
by 2020, preparing an urban master plan and entering into
projects that are immediately available.
› Integration and implementation stage – Integrating the
urban master plan throughout the municipality, planning,
budgeting and implementation of individual projects,
education and public awareness campaigns, legislation and
enforcement, monitoring and control to review compliance
with targets.
› Re-evaluation and periodic updating of the plan every five
years.
In order to provide the municipalities with the necessary support
tools for implementation, Forum 15 set up a task force for
steering and control, consisting of experts from Forum 15, from
the participating municipalities, from government ministries,
and from environmental organizations and academic bodies –
a unique mix of stakeholders working together on behalf of
air pollution abatement and climate protection. The Local
Sustainability Center (initiated by the Heschel Center for
Environmental Learning and Leadership, the Ministry of
Environmental Protection, the Porter School of Environmental
Studies at Tel Aviv University and ICLEI) and the Ministry of
Environmental Protection were central partners in the process of
developing the initiative and in setting up the task force.
At present the municipalities are advancing into the planning
stage. They have conducted their baseline emissions inventory
and forecast, based on energy consumption and waste
generation, and should soon define their annual goals for
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. This will be followed by
the development of a local action plan describing the policies and
measures that the local authority will take to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and air pollution in four main areas: transportation
14
and fuels, energy conservation and environmentally friendly
construction, garbage and recycling, and green spaces. Within
each area, the municipalities will undertake specific initiatives
such as planting gardens on roofs to reduce carbon dioxide,
switching to cost-effective lighting in public buildings, recycling
and encouraging alternative transportation strategies such as
biking, walking, car-pooling and improved public transport.
Adv. Eitan Atia, General Manager of Forum 15, notes that "the
convention is a first of its kind initiative in Israel, obligating
a governmental authority to measurable, quantitative
improvement in air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions,
which will be monitored and overseen. To our best knowledge,
implementation of this project on both the local and national
levels makes it unique, not only in Israel but in the world. The
Convention underscores the interdependence of national policy
and local policy, based on the understanding that both separate
and collective action are required to reach the desired goals.”
Israel President Shimon Peres at signing ceremony
of Forum 15 Convention/Photo: Forum15
Website: http://www.forum15.org.il/
COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN ISRAEL
ISRAEL'S ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs:
VOICES ON BEHALF OF CLIMATE ACTION
"Paths To
Sustainability":
Major NGO
Coalition
Addresses
Climate Change
The "Paths to Sustainability" coalition is a
powerful example of the role that Israeli
civil society plays in creating a sustainable
future for all of us. The coalition was
created in 2002 by a group of more than
25 leading environmental organizations
who sought to increase their effectiveness
in influencing policy and public opinion,
by pooling ideas and resources.
The coalition uses a variety of strategies,
including production of written policy
papers and reports, participation in official
committees, national and international
forums and conferences, meetings with
senior officials and intensive media work,
to advocate a more cohesive approach
to sustainability and climate change by
government.
In 2009, the coalition's 7th annual policy
paper, "Israel and the Climate Crisis", called
the government to move forward boldly
in creating a comprehensive climate
policy and changing Israel's status from
a developing country to a developed
country. The paper calls attention to the
risks of the climate crisis as well as to
economic opportunities, which could
allow Israel to build a thriving economy
that meets the social and environmental
challenges of the 21st century.
The coalition member organizations
are represented in the inter-ministerial
governmental committee on climate
change and its sectoral work teams on
DECEMBER 2009
mitigation and adaptation policy, voicing
the views of civil society and environmen­
tal NGOs. While they have the opportunity
to impact policies as they are being
developed, the organizations maintain
a watchful eye on the government as
it proceeds towards determining its
position for the Copenhagen Climate
Conference, and will continue to monitor
the implementation of climate related
decisions.
Website: www.sviva.net/develop/eng/
conduct a side-event to share its policy
and regulatory recommendations with
international counterparts.
According to Tzipi Iser Itzik, IUED’s
executive director, the time for tackling
climate change is right now: “IUED believes
that Israel has a moral duty to join the
ranks of responsible nations rising to the
global challenge. Israel had led the field
in innovations in irrigation technologies,
desert agriculture, forestation in arid
regions, and solar energy. We should now
be using this expertise to advance global
solutions to climate change.”
Website: www.adamteva.org.il
Israel Union for
Environmental
Defense:
Advocating
for Climate
Protection
The Israel Union for Environmental
Defense (Adam Teva V’Din) has advocated
for a national climate change action plan
since 2007. As a national environmental
watchdog, IUED encourages and catalyzes
government action on climate change as
a high priority on the national agenda. .
IUED is a member of the government’s
interdisciplinary committee of experts
accompanying the preparation of a
national climate change plan, spear­
headed by the Ministry of Environmental
Protection. It is monitoring the process
and offering alternative scenarios, while
drafting regulatory frameworks to speed
the implementation of mitigation and
adaptation measures. As a recognized
observer organization in the UNFCCC
Copenhagen conference, IUED will
The Israel Energy Forum:
Promoting Sustainable
Energy for Israel
The Israel Energy Forum
(IEF), established in 2007,
is the only environmental
organization in the country focusing
exclusively on promoting sustainable
energy for Israel.
Its primary goals include reducing the
environmental damage related to rising
electricity
consumption,
including
mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
Some of IEF's major achievements to date
include:
› Advocating specific regulatory
changes
› Shaping public debate
› Building coalitions and providing
professional knowledge
Website: www.energia.org.il/en/home
WWW.ENVIRONMENT.GOV.IL
15
MULTILINGUAL WEBSITES NOW ONLINE
:‫למידע בעברית‬
For information in
english:
www.environmen
t.gov.il/english
:‫إلضافية باللغة العربية‬
‫للتفاصيل ا‬
www.environmen
t.gov.il
Children's website
:
www.sababa.sviv
a.gov.
il
http://arabic.sviva
.g
ov.il
Production: Publications, Information and Internet Division,
Ministry of Environmental Protection
Inquiries: P.O.B. 34033, Jerusalem 95464, Israel.
Email: [email protected]
Cover photos: Negev views by Dani Machlis, Dept. of Publications and Media
Relations, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Editor: Shoshana Gabbay | Graphic design: Studio Gideon Dan, Jerusalem
Everything you wanted to know about the environment in Israel