Israel readies to meet Copenhagen climate change goals.

Tel Aviv’s Reading power plant. Built in the 1930′s, it was recently converted to burn natural gas instead of crude oil. (photo by Daniel Cherrin)

In a sign that it is beginning to take climate change more seriously, Israel has appointed a high-level body to suggest policies for reducing the country’s carbon emissions. The body, an inter-ministerial committee composed of senior representatives of various government ministries, was set up this month by a government decision. Its recommendations will be presented to the government in October, ahead of the next UN climate summit in Mexico City.

While local environmentalists have been pushing the government to adopt greener policies for years (with limited success), the government’s newfound enthusiasm for climate change policies is apparently the result of external pressure, namely the recent Copenhagen climate summit and the environmental requirements of the OECD, which Israel seeks to join.

Israel committed to a 20% reduction (below business as usual) in carbon emissions by 2020 last year in Copenhagen. A tiny country, Israel’s contribution to climate change is negligible compared to the big polluters, but, left unchecked, its emissions are set to double by 2030.

The committee’s work will likely build on research done by the international consulting firm McKinsey. In a report commissioned by the Environmental Protection Ministry and presented to the government in November 2009, McKinsey emphasized the economic benefits of reducing emissions.

The report’s recommendations (which environmentalists have described as under-ambitious) include setting up a network of electric cars, increasing renewable energy production (mainly from wind and the sun), converting power plants to cleaner-burning fuels and building more energy-efficient buildings.

While an inter-ministerial committee is a clear sign that the government intends to take action, it is worth noting that a similar committee, which operated between 1996 and 2004, was dissolved without having presented any recommendations.

Meanwhile, the government is promoting a plan for reforming the statutory planning system, which environmentalists allege would have severe social and environmental repercussions.  The reform, essentially a new law replacing the old planning law (which was passed in 1965), is moving quickly through the Knesset, despite overwhelming opposition from diverse sectors of society and a recommendation by the High Court to allow more time for public debate.

The reform is one of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s flagship policies, after having already instituted far-reaching and controversial changes to the country’s land ownership system and a half-baked transportation reform.

Originally published on TreeHugger.com on March 21, 2010.