The government on Monday approved the nation's first carbon tax, which is expected to cover about 80% of local greenhouse gas emissions by 2028.

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The pollution pricing plan to address climate change is slated to take effect in 2023 and slowly increase until 2028, charging companies that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from coal, liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oil, petroleum coke and gas.

A government statement announcing the moves explained that carbon taxation "is intended to correct a market failure, which arises when the polluting factor does not pay for the damage caused as a result of greenhouse gas emissions.

"Carbon pricing is considered the most effective and efficient way to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and create certainty in the markets," the statement continued.

Israel has set an ambitious climate target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 85% by 2050 compared to 2015 levels and an immediate target of a 27% emissions reduction by 2030.

In a recent phone conversation with Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry praised Israel's climate and renewable energy targets.

This article was first published by i24NEWS

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Despite important actions Israel has taken, it is far from being one of the world's most developed countries, a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published this week has determined.

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The report notes that even prior to the COVID pandemic, Israel's per capita productivity and GDP were some 30% lower than those in the OECD's outstanding countries. The report cited a higher rate of inequality in Israel than in other developed countries, and said that a significant part of Israel's children did not complete school with skills that would help them in the job market.

The OECD praised Israel's government for funneling more money into education, although said the additional budget did not "translate" into better achievement because the structure of the school system had not changed.

According to the authors of the report, the COVID pandemic poses "long-term challenges" to Israel, particularly in the form of extensive poverty – notably among Arab Israelis and Haredi Jews – and a growing gap between Israel's "vibrant" high-tech sector and the traditional economy.

The report notes that prior to COVID, Israel's per capita GDP was 28% lower than that of the strongest member nations in the OECD (not the OECD average), whereas per capita productivity was 35% lower than that of the strongest OECCD nations. Israel's employment rate was considered average and had not changed significantly since the start of the pandemic, the report aid.

Israel also spends considerably less on job training than other developed nations – 8% compared to up to 20% -- the report said.

The report assigned Israel an overall "inequality score" of 34.8, compared to a median score of 30.3 in the OECD. In OECD rankings, the lowest level of inequality is ranked at 23, and third-world nations rank at 45.3 for inequality.

Israel's public transportation system lagged "significantly" behind most OECD nations even prior to the COVID pandemic, the report said, creating some of the worst traffic congestion in the organization. The report cited lack of efficient public transportation infrastructure as one reason why 75% of Israeli citizens live with highly polluted air.

On a slightly more positive note, the report noted that Israel released less greenhouse gas than the OECD average, and praised the new commuter train line between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as well as the construction of a light rail system for the greater Tel Aviv area and other transportation infrastructure projects.

The organization recommended that Israel promote public transportation and establish transportation authority that would liaise between the government and local authorities.

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Lag B'Omer bonfires cost the Israeli economy 43 million shekels ($13.2 million) per year, and the smoke from them is equivalent to the emissions from 70,000 cars over the course of an entire years, according to a new report prepared by Chen Herzog, partner and chief economist at the accounting firm BDO Consulting in cooperation with BDO economist Yael Armon.

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The BDO analysis used data from Lag B'Omer in 2018, which was the last year in which bonfires were allowed without restrictions. In 2019, due to severe hot weather, many local municipalities banned bonfires, and in 2020, bonfires and gatherings were subject to COVID regulations about public gatherings.

Research form the Environmental Protection Ministry indicates that while the bonfires are lighted, the rate of air pollution increases by four to 10 times in comparison to regular levels. The main damage comes in the form of particulate matter released while the bonfire fuel is burned and which create a health hazard. These particles range in size from 2.5 to 10 micrometers, approximately the thickness of a strand of human hair, and can penetrate the nose's defenses and collect in the lungs. Population sectors at risk include asthma sufferers, who are particularly vulnerable.

The fires also release various gases, including carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide. The damage increases even more when bonfires include not only wood, but materials such as plastic, which release various types of dioxins into the air that are poisonous, and in some cases carcinogenic.

According to Herzog, regulatory agencies in Israel are focused on the possible damage to property that Lag B'Omer fires can cause, but ignore the health and environmental problems they create.

"The Fire and Rescue Services issued a directive this year limited bonfires to dedicated areas only. This directive is designed to limit the dangers of the fires and resulting damage to property but not the environmental damage," Herzog said.

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Israel has a new energy efficiency goal: a new plan from the Energy Ministry, presented Monday, has set a target of reducing carbon emissions by 7.5% by 2030.

The ministry also recommended an interim goal of improved energy efficiency by 11% by 2025, compared to 2015 (which would work out to an average 1.2% improvement per year), and an 18% improvement in energy efficiency by 2030 compared to 2015.

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"The new goal links energy consumption to the amount of products and services in the country," the Energy Ministry explained in a statement.

"It is appropriate for Israel, where the population growth rate and economic growth are among the highest in OECD nations. In addition, these criteria allow us to compare ourselves to other countries," the ministry said.

"Implementing these policy steps are expected to reduce consumption of some 6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which account for about 7.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions [projected for] Israel in 2030. This is in addition to implementing the government's decision to transition to 0% renewable energy sources by 2030.

The plan to cut Israel's carbon emissions also calls to stop sales of polluting cars starting in 2030 through the establishment of a viable infrastructure for electric vehicles.

According to Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, "The global climate crisis demands that we make major changes in our living habits, especially the ways in which we produce and consume energy. Through groundbreaking plans, we not only reduce the rise in energy demand, we also make Israel into a nexus of development and implementation of advanced technologies and methods that will allow Israeli companies to break into new markets all over the world."

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Could diamonds become the earth's best friend? Luxury jewelry company Aether has successfully found a way to create diamonds out of air.

According to Aether, many companies in the sustainable jewelry arena claim to be carbon neutral, but lab-grown diamonds are manufactured using carbon from fossil fuels. Aether says that "neutral" isn't good enough when it comes to reversing climate change.

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Aether uses proprietary technology to convert excess carbon dioxide air pollution into precious stones, cleaning the air while producing the world's first carbon-negative diamond.

Aether will feature its carbon-negative diamonds in a new luxury jewelry line scheduled to launch on its website this December. All Aether diamonds are certified by the International Gemological Institute and held to the same standards as mined diamonds.

"Amid global climate change and all of the other challenges 2020 has brought with it, we believe there is currently great opportunity for high-minded doers to step in and help shape the future," said Aether CEO Ryan Shearman.

"Aether is proud to be a part of that change for good as the creator of the world's first gem-quality diamonds from air," Shearman said.

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