Event reports
Recent studies estimate that Israel's greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) – in comparison to the targets set within the frame of an international climate agreement by industrialised countries - will be doubled by 2030. The Copenhagen Climate Conference in 2009 as well as strong pressure from Israeli environmental organizations were crucial factors in developing a climate policy. Israel can benefit from the reduction of GHG emissions resulting in a reduction of power consumption, reduction of the energy dependence by an expansion of renewable energies, and reduction of urban pollution.
According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Israel is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to its geographic location. This particularly relates to the fields of water, administration, agriculture and food production, public health and biodiversity.
There are already existing indicators that indicate this vulnerability: an increase in the average temperature, an increase of thunderstorms, a decline of precipitation, floods, drought and desertification.
In Israel, there is a need to shed light upon the importance of adapting to the existing climate change and at the same time to mitigate the consequences of the existing change that has occurred. On this occasion, a clever and farsighted legislation that does not only regulate selectively, but also understands the challenge of climate change as comprehensive task, is needed. It is therefore necessary to sensitise policy-makers and the general public in order to accelerate decision-making processes as well as to promote practice-oriented measures.
Over the years, L&E has laid the foundation for an environmental representation of interests. In this context, the activities of the umbrella organization and its members within the parliamentarian environment are crucial. Meanwhile the “Day of Environment” within the Knesset has been firmly established. Life & Environment succeeded in convincing Knesset members as well as the spokesman of the Knesset (comparable to the office of the Federal President in Germany) to deal intensively and priorly with environmental issues and to set the agenda accordingly at this day. As a result, on June 4, 2013, various public hearings, plenary sessions and committee meetings, all dealing with environmental aspects of legislation, took place.
The „Day of Environment“ was integrated into the daily parliamentary work. The various committees met as follows:
- Economic Committee: Power generation from renewable energy Water and sewage from economic and industrial activities
- Committee on the Rights of the Child: The impact of environmental hazards on children
- Science and Technology Committee: Closing knowledge gaps in addressing climate change
- State Comptroller Committee_: Report on coastal environment protection
- Committee for Immigration and Absorption: Community gardens as a tool to integration
- Interior and Environmental Protection: State and public beaches in Israel / Consequences of putting the National Emissions Reduction Plan on halt
Moreover, two public hearings dealing with sustainable transportation and environmental protection were attended by the respective ministers responsible, MK Israel Katz and MK Amir Peretz. Within the plenary of the Knesset current legislative processes were discussed, among others the Bill to encourage bicycle transport as well as Amendments to the Clean Air Law.
During the „Day of Environment“, various environmental organizations participated and their representatives were heard as experts within the committees. All committee meetings as well as the Knesset Plenary were well attended and filled with lively discussions on a high level. Maya Crabtree, the responsible project manager of L&E, also commended the well prepared agenda and the strong interest of the Members of the Knesset. Important steps to achieve the objectives of understanding environment and climate policy as comprehensive task and of examining legislation and its climate policy implications have been taken. Support also came from the wide coverage in the Hebrew speaking media that informed the broader public as well. The event is understood as an important component in order to achieve further objectives within the cooperation between KAS Israel and Life & Environment. Following the “Day of Environment” within the Knesset, the work with Members of the Knesset and parliamentary assistants can be intensified.
Dr. Nadine Mensel
