A bill to cut greenhouse gases has the support of 70 MKs.
If Israel's government and industry does not take action to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, as set in the Kyoto Accords, emissions will grow 63% from their 2005 levels to 82 million tons by 2025. On the other hand, if Israel cuts its emissions by 25% from its 2000 levels by 2025, the country will save - in addition to air pollution and anxiety about global warming - $280 million (28 million tons of carbon dioxide at $10 per ton).
The savings will be realized by not having to offset emissions with developing countries and pay them for it. Cutting pollution and emissions has additional advantages derived from the improved air quality and reducing pollution-caused illness, says the Israel Union for Environmental Defense in a report prepared in advance of today's meeting of all Israeli governmental and environmental groups that participated in last December's Bali summit. Minister of Environmental Protection Gideon Ezra will also participate.
During the meeting, a private members bill by MK Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor), based on the same data, will be presented. The bill's central proposal calls for a 25% cut in Israel's greenhouse gases emissions by 2025. It is supported by 70 MKs. The bill assumes that Israel will soon be recognized as a developed country, which means that the understandings reached at the Bali summit will apply to it. In other words, Israel will have to curb greenhouse emission like its developed peers in the West, otherwise industry and the state's coffers will pay the price.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 4, 2008
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2008