It’s official: Ministers Eli Cohen and Israel Katz have exchanged roles, with Cohen assuming the position of Energy Minister and Katz taking on the role of Foreign Minister.In honor of Cohen’s recent appointment, The Jerusalem Post sought insights from some climate activists on the initial actions Cohen could undertake to guide Israel towards a more environmentally sustainable and energy-independent future.Here are their recommendations:
First, Cohen could play a key role in passing an effective climate law that would put Israel on par with its Democratic counterparts, such as the United States and Europe.The current climate bill was passed in the Ministerial Committee on Legislation shortly before the Knesset summer break. It was deemed “shameful” by environmental activists, many of whom said it could worsen the climate change situation in Israel.
Commitment to reduced emissions
In the bill, the government committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. However, most similarly developed countries aim for 50% by the same year. Moreover, activists have said the bill has too many loopholes and not enough enforcement to ensure that Israel hits its targets.Reports released last year by the OECD and others showed that Israel is not on track to reach its climate ambitions and said the country would need to introduce additional carbon-reducing measures across all sectors to achieve its goals.
Next, the Energy Ministry should finally focus on clean, sustainable energy – ideally solar.Israeli-American solar energy entrepreneur and advocate Yosef Abramowitz said that Cohen could be instrumental in increasing solar installation by pushing to remove the cap on VAT exemptions for shared buildings.Currently, people who own individual houses can install solar rooftops and receive a tax exemption that makes it worthwhile, Abramowitz explained. However, the 80% of Israelis who live in shared buildings – and 100% of ultra-Orthodox – cannot benefit from the same exemption, removing the incentive.“If Cohen would align the incentive so every building would want to install solar and solar storage – and we could install these panels very quickly – you could bring about 5GW of solar power to the country, or about 25% of the country’s energy needs,” Abramowitz said.Another way to generate at least 5GWs of solar is to work for climate justice, Abramowitz added, such as establishing a solar quota for minorities, especially the Bedouin community. This, he said, would bring much-needed economic development to Israel’s poorest community, which has suffered disproportionately from the war.
Jonathan Aikhenbaum, director of Greenpeace Israel, had a similar idea. He said that one of the challenges of installing solar energy fields in the Negev is that the energy needs to make it to the Center, which would involve establishing extensive new infrastructure. Instead, Aikhenbaum advised that Cohen should focus on developing a rooftop or local solar energy system.“At Greenpeace, we have been involved in developing a model for municipalities to have the capacity to make this big step forward,” Aikhenbaum said. “Today, the solar policy of the Energy Ministry is not ambitious enough.”He said the ministry should supply technical support and financial incentives so Israel can make the leap.There is some precedence – if this plan is agreed upon and comes to fruition, for example.Last month, the Environmental Protection Ministry formulated a plan for achieving energy security and protecting public health in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. In contrast to an Energy Ministry plan to invest heavily in polluting gas power stations to supply electricity during peak hours in the Gush Dan region, the plan would install solar production and storage systems.“Promoting renewable energies, especially in structured and multi-use areas, is a national interest of Israel,” Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman said. “It makes no sense to invest heavily in polluting gas power stations to supply electricity during peak hours in Gush Dan when we can use energy storage and renewable energies instead.I call on energy sector managers to adopt the plan formulated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, leading to significant economic savings and increased energy security.”Specifically, the ministry showed that the country could save approximately NIS 4 billion in cumulative direct costs to the electricity sector, including air and greenhouse gas pollution costs.Finally, the Energy Ministry under Cohen should aim to have a clear and transparent oil and gas drilling policy, said Aikhenbaum.For months, including during the war, Israel has been awarding new gas exploration licenses to discover new natural gas reservoirs. The move clashes with an agreement signed by nearly 200 countries at the United Nations climate change conference last month to “phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies” and to take measures to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems “in a just, orderly and equitable manner, with developed countries continuing to take the lead.”Aikhenbaum said that developing new oil and gas rigs will almost definitely ensure that Israel cannot fulfill its climate targets.“I think on Eli Cohen’s watch, there is either going to be a commission of inquiry as to why he did not fix our energy vulnerability due to the war, or he will get universal praise for sweeping and immediate changes to create a secure, decentralized solar plus storage system that enables Israel at war to stay fully powered,” Abramowitz contended. “Eli Cohen will have to decide.”
The Environment and Climate Change portal is produced in cooperation with the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Jerusalem Post maintains all editorial decisions related to the content.
