Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to make a full transition from fossil fuels and to reduce Israel's carbon footprint by 2050 on Friday, during the second and final day of the Leader Summit on Climate hosted by US President Joe Biden. Netanyahu opened his remarks by thanking "Biden and his team for hosting this important virtual summit. I have known President Biden for some forty years. I know the strength of his commitment for stronger action on climate. This is a commitment we in Israel fully share."
Biden called the meeting with dozens of heads-of-state to declare the United States back at the climate leadership table after his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, withdrew from the Paris agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
"By the end of this decade renewable energy will be providing over a third of Israel's electricity," Netanyahu said at the summit.
Israel is a global leader in cutting coal consumption, Netanyahu said. While having already substantially reduced dependency on the fossil fuel, by 2025 the country is expected to have cut its reliance on coal altogether.
Moreover, utilizing the vast space of the Negev Desert, Israel has increased solar energy generation from two percent five years ago to ten percent this year alone, according to the prime minister.
However, the challenge the country still faces is the solar energy storage according to the prime minister. Netanyahu said that the government is working on overcoming the challenge.
"Hundreds of Israeli start-ups are working on this project and on related issues. These companies have already received billions of dollars; they'll receive more," Netanyahu said. "Because I am convinced that Israeli science and Israeli ingenuity will enable us to play our part in the global transition to a net zero carbon economy."
More than just energy, Netanyahu said Israel is making a big difference in water as well.
"We have shown the world how to use water more efficiently in agriculture through pioneering developments in drip irrigation, hydroponic agriculture and the use of artificial intelligence," Netanyahu said.
While Israel is known for its major desalinization projects, perhaps lesser known is its lead in water purification, with about 93% of its wastewater being purified and 86% recycled for use in agriculture.
The prime minister added that cooperation in the fields of water and renewable energy are an "Integral part of our new cooperation with the UAE and Bahrain.
"Not only are we working to end dependency on fossil fuels and finding solutions to the climate crisis, but we are helping to cement Arab-Israeli peace. And that bodes well for the entire region, for the entire world."Reuters contributed to this report.
However, while Netanyahu's speech brought light to Israel's apparent achievements in environmental reform, many slammed the prime minister, refuting much of what he had to say.
The international environmental protection NGO Green Peace slammed Netanyahu for continuing to "Recycle things he has said in the past, while in reality Israel has no plans to fight the climate crisis," the organization said in a statement.
The organization said the intentions to reduce reliability on coal were actually intended to ensure the development of the gas economy.
Green Peace called on the government to "sober up from the gas dream" and to "immediately freeze all new plans for the production, transportation and burning of fossil fuels."
Chairman of the Lobby for the Climate and Yesh Atid MK Yorai Hertzanu said that Netanyahu's speech was "true to character" in that Netanyahu "presented to the world only the good side of Israel, but in practice there is too little execution, too little leadership and failed policy."
Hertzanu said that while Netanyahu claimed carbon offsets, his government has introduced legislature with lower targets, 'Which were also not met."
"The next decade is critical as we reach the point of no return, but Netanyahu's ministers are busy fighting against themselves as the climate, and us, become the real losers. True leadership will make Israel a world leader in the war for the future of the globe," Hertzanu said.
Head of the organization Homeland Guards Yoni Sapir claimed that all of Israel's government targets for solar power generation has far been missed and the current commitment of the Israeli government to solar energy by 2030 is 26% output, not 'above 33' as Netanyahu stated."
Sapir claimed that the energy storage challenge Netanyahu referred to is unclear, as the issue is resolved both technologically and commercially.
"It should also be noted that only last week the Ministry of Energy presented its plans for 2050 and they do not include a cessation of the use of fossil fuels," Sapir said.
"On the contrary, the ministry plans to distribute additional licenses for gas and oil drilling, despite their devastating impact on the climate."
In line with Hertzanu's comment, Sapir called out the government ministries for quarrelling as it leads to no decisions made or legislation passed.
"Netanyahu's commitment to full transition of use of renewable energies and the cessation of fossil fuels must be laid down in legislation with a set time frame overseen by monitoring powers."
Sapir called on Netanyahu to put forth by next week the initial proposal from the Environmental Protection Ministry which includes a commitment to 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 95% by 2050.
"The same proposal that the Energy Ministry torpedoed," he said.
In addition, he called for climate law to be passed that includes carbon taxation.
"It's time to stop talking and move on. The earth is not waiting for us. The future generation looks at us with eager anticipation," Sapir said.