GHG and the Holy land- are we dirty or what?
Israel is expected to double its GHG emissions by 2030- reports
A report filed by McKinsey and Co. in November 2009 at the request of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and intended to prepare Israel for the 2009 UNFCCC Conference in Copenhagen reveals Israel GHG emissions are expected to double by the year 2030 from 71 MtCO2e in 2005 to 142 MtCO2e in 2030, a higher growth rate than growth is higher than other developed countries and is primarily due to Israel’s relatively high growth in population and GDP per capita.
In per capita terms, this represents growth in emissions from 10.2 tonnes per person in 2005 to ~14.3 tonnes per person in 2030.
For comparison, under a ‘business as usual’ scenario, 2030 emissions per capita would be 23 tCO2e in the U.S., 10.7 tCO2e in Western Europe, and 11.3 tCO2e in China.
The report states that Israel could reduce this expected rise in emission if a set of behavioral and technical measures are adopted.
Technical measures offered in the report include:
High penetration of solar PV (photo voltaic) power generation, Improved fuel efficiency of internal combustion engine vehicles, Increased energy efficiency in new buildings by improved planning and
insulation, Use of efficient lighting (LED, CFL – compact fluorescent) and lighting
control systems, Retrofit of residential buildings with improved insulation in order to improve
heating and cooling efficiency, Industry fuel transition – fuel oil to gas,Use of landfill gas for electricity generation, Increased penetration of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids (assuming low
carbon power fuel mix), Use of wind turbines for power generation.
Behavioral changes offered include reduced use of lighting, increased
use of public transport, increased use of bicycles, increased average building
temperature, and reduced meat consumption a series of steps never implemented before in Israel.
McKinsey report is echoed in the state comptroller’s report published on 6 December. (in Hebrew only)
http://www.mevaker.gov.il/serve/showHtml.asp?bookid=557&id=157&frompage=5&contentid=10664&parentcid=10663&bctype=1&startpage=0&direction=1&sw=1280&hw=730&cn=ממצאי%20הדוח
The report slams various offices and authorities in the GOI, saying that despite the GOI decisions from 1996 and 2001, no actual plan has been approved by the GOI to reduce GHG emissions. The work of the inter-ministerial committee has ceased in 2004 before a feasible plan has been approved. The comptroller called the Ministry of Environmental Protection planning ” ineffective”. ” The fact that a decade the office has yet to formulate a plane shows that procedures and planning were not effective”.
The state comptroller labels the 21st century ” the green century” and clearly states that Israel must examine ways of reducing GHG emissions not only as a formal obligation but from the aspect of social and economic benefits.
Israel is signatory to the 1996 UN convention and the 2004 Kyoto convention.
Israel has sent representatives to the 2009 UNFCCC Conference in Copenhagen.
