The government’s action on environmental issues contradicts its stated policy, says a report issued today.
Life and Environment economist Noga Levtzion-Nadan alleges in the report that “funds allocated in the state budget for environmental issues, have been diverted to projects that contradict the recommendations of the professional authorities in the government ministries themselves.”
The report reveals that, although the Ministry of National Infrastructures set a target of 20% for energy conservation with 5% of electricity generation to be produced through renewable energy sources by 2016, the preference for polluting fuels has continued.
The report cites the case of the natural gas project which has been brought to a halt by bureaucratic wrangling. No tangible progress has been made toward the construction of a solar-operated power plant; investment in ideas for improving energy efficiency have amounted to less than NIS 500,00 a year for the last six years and the budget for alternative energy source development was only NIS 3.4 million in 2005 and will be reduced to NIS 2.9 million in 2006.
The report also says that, while the Water Commissioner called for investment in increasing water resources and reducing demand, a substantial portion of the budget for this purpose has been focused on desalination activities, which are problematic from the environmental standpoint. Only NIS 12.7 million has been allocated to the water saving and efficiency measures, improving the quality of drinking water and the treatment of natural water sources that had been contaminated by industry.
The report asserts that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Labor’s Investment Promotion Program and R&D budgets do not prioritize environmental issues. It has not given economic incentives for investment in environmentally friendly industries and has not taken any action against companies which receive government assistance but pollute the environment, endangering the health of the public.
The Ministry of Housing and Construction continues to support the construction of settlements at the expense of lower investment in cities, despite the need, from both the social and environmental perspective, to strengthen existing settlements, especially those in outlying areas.
Life and Environment director Alona Yeffet-Sheafer said that it was ironic that the government itself had adopted a policy that was governed by short-term political considerations, while professional authorities within the government were moving forward with the right long-term policies.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on March 13, 2006
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2006