{"id":5231,"date":"2024-06-10T09:19:48","date_gmt":"2024-06-10T07:19:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adamteva.org.il\/?post_type=news_and_updates&p=5231"},"modified":"2024-12-08T11:25:47","modified_gmt":"2024-12-08T09:25:47","slug":"climate-bill-under-review-prior-to-2nd-reading-meets-fierce-opposition-on-all-fronts","status":"publish","type":"news_and_updates","link":"https:\/\/adamteva.org.il\/en\/news_and_updates\/climate-bill-under-review-prior-to-2nd-reading-meets-fierce-opposition-on-all-fronts\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Bill, prior to 2nd Reading, meets fierce opposition on all fronts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In order to meet the government\u2019s goal of having its controversial Climate Bill<\/strong><\/a> approved by the end of the Knesset\u2019s summer session (July 28), chairman of the Interior & Environmental Protection Committee, MK Yaakov Asher, conducted an initial hearing in preparation for the bill\u2019s 2nd Reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adam Teva V\u2019Din\u2019s deputy executive director Attorney Tammy Gannot, representing the public interest, pointed out that the climate crisis threatens Israel\u2019s economy, society and environment and yet the government\u2019s Climate Bill \u2013 dubbed by critics as the \u2018empty vessel\u2019 \u2013 bill has a long way to go if it is to anchor in law appropriate GHG reduction targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Attorney<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIsrael lags far behind other member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) in failing to enact a climate law that will drive economic development, transition to a low-carbon economy, and resilience to climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also pointed out that in its current form the bill allows the government to change by decree \u2013 without parliamentary or public oversight \u2013 key elements such as the base year and the targets, as if the the climate crisis is external to Israel\u2019s national, economic, social, environmental and security circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adam Teva V\u2019Din\u2019s analysis of the bill in its current form reveals other deep flaws, including:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Exemption of any government agency from preparing an overall Climate Change Preparedness program;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • No binding deadlines for government ministries to prepare GHG Emission Reduction plans; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Low GHG emissions target of 30% by 2030 (in comparison, the EU’s target is 55%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Attorney Gannot urged the Committee to refrain from supporting the current ’empty vessel’ bill, noting that it does not provide even a minimal framework for dealing with the climate crisis. She demanded that the Committee push the government to come back with an appropriately strong and clear legislative framework without further delay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In equally strong terms, opposition MK Yorai Lahav-Haretzno said the bill is a “magnificent surrender to the Finance Ministry,” and a dramatic departure from the earlier bill advanced by the previous government. The Manufacturers’ Association charged that the bill lacks implementation budgets and that it will, in its present form, fail “to incentivize the economy to reduce emissions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman did not attend the Knesset session and was not accessible for online participation, despite her ministry\u2019s central role in designing and implementing the future Climate Law<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n