Despite original Environmental Protection Ministry recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030, the government is slated to vote Sunday on a slimmed-down target of only 25%. With the agreement of the National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Ministry, as well as the Finance Ministry, the Environment Ministry is submitting the revised recommendations for cabinet approval on Sunday – part of a larger program that the ministry says could save the Israeli economy more than $100 billion cumulatively. Nonetheless, the newly agreed upon reduction target would mean 5% more greenhouse gas emissions than the Environment Ministry had initially recommended in its 30% goal this July. Cabinet authorization of a greenhouse gas emissions target is a precursor toward finalizing Israel's intended national determined contribution (INDC) plan for December's Conference of Parties (COP- 21) in Paris. Participant nations in COP- 21 are aiming to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement to ensure that global warming does not surpass 2°. The summit will be the 21st such annual conference to occur as a result of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, during which countries adopted the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Prior to COP-21, all participant nations are expected to submit their INDC plans, the terms of which can vary according to their individual national conditions.
