The conference is a joint initiative of the Association of Environmental Justice in Israel (AEJI) and the Porter School of Environmental Studies at Tel Aviv University, and is held as part of the Climate Research and Policy Project focusing on the Social and Economic aspects, headed by Prof. Dan Rabinowitz, head of the Porter School of Environmental Studies, Tel Aviv University and chairperson of AEJI’ board. The Climate Research and Policy project is funded by Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.
Background
2015 probably will be the year symbolizes a significant milestone on historic scale, with the global effort in dealing with the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, and in prospect of achieving a decision at the Paris Conference (COP21) in December 2015, which will lead to the adoption of binding measures requires a long-term framework of national programs on Climate economy in different countries.
The Israeli government , as part of budget cuts in 2013 - 2014, has taken a decision to halt in three years the program of reduce GHG (instead of 2013 – 2020 moved to 2016-23). The plan was adopted in 2010 in an effort to meet the declared commitment of Israel “to reduce by 20% the GHG emissions relative to ‘business as usual’ scenario by 2020”. Although the measures in the original plan and its budget allocation were not sufficient to meet the commitment of Israel, the program was an important step, since it has addressed for the first time considerable steps of a long term plan to reduce GHG emissions. Following the freezing of the governmental climate plan, Israel, at the current rate, clearly will not achieve GHG that was targeted.
Objectives
The conference will hold discussion on the economic measures that will enable transition to low-carbon economy and to learn from other countries experience on the process of adopting carbon pricing policy. The consequences of Israel has joined as state member to the OECD, after signed on Kyoto protocol will discussed as well. These objectives are in the light of the fact that Israel has to reduce GHG emissions, as part of its international obligation, and since the high probabilities Israel will be affected by climate change, in part due to damage in agriculture, decrease in precipitation amount, rise in the extreme events of weather; In addition, Israel should begin the transition to a low-carbon economy early, in order to gain advantage in international clean technology market, and to bring greater efficiency to the domestic industry.It is important to note that the national plan for GHG mitigation in Israel does not include the imposition of a tax on carbon, or establishment of emissions trade system, despite the position of experts that criticize the lack of the financial incentives in the program, and support combining with carbon tax, since it is a tool that contributes to the most significant reduction, and because it is considered as the cheapest tool in the short term and long term.
Program
The 2015 Climate policy convention in Israel includes the following presentations:
· International comparison of carbon pricing systems applied in key countries; The impact of the carbon tax on the Israeli economy will be reviewed on the perspective of social change undergone in Israel since the summer of 2011, as the distributive effects of a carbon tax, and the AEJI model proposal for equal carbon tax in Israel.
· A new public opinion survey on climate change.
· Public panel with participation of member Knesset, expert on legal processes on international arena, representative of Israeli Energy and environment organizations.
