BREAKING NEWS

Gov't OKs NIS 2.2 billion plan to cut greenhouse emissions

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS

NOVEMBER 28, 2010 15:25

The cabinet approved on Sunday a proposed decision to spend NIS 2.2b. over the next ten years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the government decision, efforts to reduce emissions will focus on green building, energy efficiency and clean technologies, as well as other components.

The cabinet approved the action plan and its budget on Sunday. An inter-ministerial committee headed by Treasury Dir.-Gen. Haim Shani tasked with building the national program has yet to release its initial report explaining the rationale behind its focus on these topics. A coalition of environmental groups which was shown a draft of the report had a mixed response – with some praise and some pinpoint criticisms.

In addition to reducing emissions, the national plan would also contribute to reducing air pollution and encouraging the Israeli cleantech industry. Israel pledged to reduce emissions by 20% from a "business as usual" scenario by 2020 at the UN Copenhagen Climate Summit in December 2009.

"For a country with as serious a lack of water as we have, climate change is no less important than security threats," Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at the cabinet meeting.

The proposed decision was presented by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan.

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