Abstract
The rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years and particularly over the past 30 years, is liable to cause global warming of the planet Earth. At the present rate of warming, extremes of weather - storms, floods, and drought - are likely to multiply. Melting glaciers and the rising sea level may inundate large areas while other areas will suffer a decrease in precipitation and severe water shortages.
In the last two decades actions have been taken at the international level to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to prevent global warming: in 1992 the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which aimed at stabilizing the extent of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level that does not harm the climate system, was approved Since then there has been a series of international conferences to advance the implementation of the Climate Convention's principles. In 1996 Israel ratified the Climate Convention; in 2004 the Government ratified the Kyoto Protocol, which imposed gas emission reduction quotas for 2008-2012 on developed countries. It should be noted that the Kyoto Protocol does not apply to Israel.
As part of a joint international audit by countries participating in the European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI), from March to July 2009 the Israel State Comptroller's Office examined the treatment of greenhouse gas emissions in Israel . Among its findings:
Observing and Monitoring Climate Change: The Israel Meteorological Service is responsible for the country's meteorological and climate observations. It has difficulty in conducting long-term monitoring of climate change: it lacks professional personnel, has difficulty in maintaining its network of meteorological stations, and only partially processes the data it collects for monitoring purposes.
Activities for Reducing Greenhouse Gases Emissions: In 1996 and 2001 the Government decided to define its policy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, it set up an inter-ministerial committee, headed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection which commissioned studies on various means of reducing such emissions in the various economic sectors as a basis for a national program of action. However, as of the termination of the audit in July 2009, the Ministry had not worked out a national program of action for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions nor had it finished preparing the professional infrastructure required.
Monitoring greenhouse gases Emissions: At the national level, the Central Bureau of Statistics is responsible for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2005 it has been calculating annually the amount of major greenhouse gases. Nevertheless, the data is not sufficiently detailed for effective supervision and control of the sources of the emissions. Likewise, the Bureau still does not have statistical data on the reduction of emissions stemming from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the contribution of newly-developed technologies which make it necessary to change the statistical coefficients used by the Central Bureau of Statistics. In addition, the monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions is not anchored in legislation, regulations, or office procedures. The decision to calculate greenhouse gas emissions was an internal decision of the Bureau based on the authority granted it by the Statistical Ordinance to collect environmental data. In the opinion of the State Comptroller's Office, the Bureau's important initiative should be supplemented by official regulation of greenhouse gas emission monitoring - detailing who is responsible for monitoring, how it should be conducted, the data that should be collected, and the amount of detail required in accordance with the types of gas and their sources.
Summary
According to those dealing with the environment, the 21st century will probably be labeled the "green century". A country that readies itself for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions will enjoy the accumulation of knowledge, technological breakthroughs, patent registrations, and growth in exports. In contrast, a country that does not do so is liable to be adversely affected from the standpoint of its international standing, to the point of being subjected to limitations and sanctions.
Accordingly, the implementation of means for reducing greenhouse gas emissions should be examined, not only from the aspect of formal obligations, should they be imposed on Israel in future and from the strictly budgetary aspect, but also from the standpoint of the long-term social and economic benefits involved. In order to assure the shaping and implementation of an effective policy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, both the network of observation and monitoring of climate change and the system of monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions must be developed and expanded.
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