Israel targets 85% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050

Israel is looking to drastically reduce the carbon emissions
in the country by 2050 to help combat the global climate crisis, the Foreign
Ministry announced in a statement on Friday.

The cabinet decision will be put to a vote before Israel’s
parliament on Sunday.

According to the target, Israel will be reducing carbon emissions by at least 85% by 2050 compared to 2015 levels, with an intermediary target of 27% by 2030. The 2050 plan includes targets for a 96% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in transportation, 85% in the electricity sector, and 92% in municipal waste.

“The Israeli government is set to approve an unprecedented
decision mandating that by the year 2050 Israel will move to a low carbon
emissions economy, while dealing with the climate crisis that threatens all of
humanity, the foreign ministry said in the statement.

“In coordination with the Paris Agreement and Israel’s
international climate commitments, and to prevent crossing the global warming
threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, Israel is committed to reaching the goal of
zero carbon emissions by the year 2050,” it added.

Israel signed the 2015 Paris climate accord, pledging to
keep its carbon emissions stable until 2030.

The ministers for environmental protection, foreign affairs,
finance, energy, transport, economy, and interior are pushing for the initiative
along with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

“This is the first time that the Israeli government set
joint national goals to reduce carbon emissions and declare a national strategy
to move to a clean, efficient and competitive economy, thus aligning Israel
with the other developed countries in the global fight against the climate
crisis,” the statement said.