Jo Tyndall, the OECD Environment Director, presented at a conference in Jerusalem on May 31, 2023. The summary is: 1) While Israel has increased its climate ambitions, it is not on track to meet its 2030 and 2050 greenhouse gas reduction targets based on current projections. 2) Israel's energy mix relies heavily on fossil fuels, with natural gas and oil making up over 75% of its energy supply in 2021. 3) Energy industries and transport generate nearly three-quarters of Israel's total greenhouse gas emissions. 4) Jo Tyndall thanked the audience and

1. Israel 2023
Launch presentation
Jo Tyndall, OECD Environment Director
31 May 2023, Jerusalem

2. Israel has increased climate ambitions, but is not on
track to meet targets
Note: GHG emissions excluding land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF). Dashed lines refer to emissions projections according to
business-as-usual (BAU) scenario. Dotted lines refer to trajectories towards 2030 and 2050 GHG reduction targets with abatement measures
according to Government Decision 171/2021.
Source: Country submission; Government of Israel (2021), Updated National Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.
GHG emissions: Trends, projections and targets
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2021 2024 2027 2030 2033 2036 2039 2042 2045 2048
Mt CO2 eq
2030 target
2050 target
2030 BAU
2050 BAU
Waste
Industry
Transport
Electricity generation

3. Israel’s energy mix relies heavily on fossil fuels
Note: Left panel: Data exclude trade in electricity and heat and small quantities of non-renewable waste. Right panel: Other renewables
includes hydro, biofuels and waste.
Source: IEA (2022), IEA World Energy Statistics and Balances (database).
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
TWh
Electricity output by source, 2010-21
Coal/oil shale Oil
Natural gas Solar/wind
Other renewables
5%
2%
5%
12%
10%
8%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
2021
2015
2010
2021
2015
2010
Israel
OECD
Total energy supply by source,
Israel and OECD, 2010, 2015 and 2021
Coal/oil shale Oil Natural gas
Nuclear Renewables

4. Energy industries and transport generate nearly
three-quarters of total GHG emissions
Note: Energy industries include small quantities of other energy categories (about 1% in 2019).
Source: UNFCCC (2022), Israel National Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2021.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Mt CO2 eq
GHG emissions by source, 2000-19
Waste
Agriculture
Industrial processes
and product use
Manufacturing/
construction
Transport
Energy industries

5. Almost 60 percent of indigenous mammal species are
threatened
Note: Data for Israel and New Zealand refer to threatened indigenous species.
Source: OECD (2022), “Biodiversity: Threatened species”, OECD Environment Statistics (database).
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% of known species
Mammals Birds Vascular plants
Threatened species in OECD countries, late 2000s

6. Pressure on freshwater resources is easing but high
water stress remains
Note: Panel A - Water stress = total freshwater abstraction as percentage of total renewable water resources. Water stress higher than 40%
indicates serious water scarcity and unsustainable water use.
Source: CBS (2021), "Water and Sewage", Statistical Abstract of Israel 2021 - No 72; OECD (2022), OECD Environment Statistics (database).
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019
1 000 m3/ha
%
A. Freshwater abstraction intensities, 2005-20
High water stress
Water
stress
Agricultural freshwater use
per area of cropland
(right axis)
Treated
wastewater
23%
Desalinated
water
24%
Surface
water
24%
Wells
29%
B. Water supply, 2020
2 400
million m3

7. • Coverage of environmental assessment is partial
• The environmental permitting reform is incomplete
• Compliance assurance is improving but remains mostly
reactive
• Remediation of contaminated sites is hindered by a
regulatory gap
Israel needs to strengthen environmental
governance and compliance

8. Total tax rebates and support for fossil fuels, 2012-21
Fossil fuel subsidy phase-out?
Note: Includes preliminary data and partial data for 2019-20.
Source: OECD (2022), OECD Inventory of Fossil Fuel Support Measures (database).
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Diesel
(consumer
support)
Natural gas
(producer
support)
ILS million

9. Landfilling contributes significantly to GHG
emissions
9
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
1 000 t
Municipal waste collected by treatment type, 2010-20
Total recovery
Recycling
Composting
Incineration
Landfilling
GHG emissions from the waste sector (1 000 t CO₂ eq)
Note: Municipal waste includes household waste and similar waste collected by or on behalf of municipalities. It includes bulky waste and excludes
construction waste and sewage waste. Breakdown data for recycling and composting are available from 2013.
Source: CBS (2022), Waste and Recycling (database); OECD (2022), "Waste: Municipal waste", OECD Environment Statistics (database); UNFCCC
(2022), Israel National GHG Inventory 2021.

10. Domestic material consumption and material
footprint per capita have grown
10
Note: Municipal waste includes household waste and similar waste collected by or on behalf of municipalities. It includes bulky waste and excludes
construction waste and sewage waste. Breakdown data for recycling and composting are available from 2013.
Source: CBS (2022), Waste and Recycling (database); OECD (2022), "Waste: Municipal waste", OECD Environment Statistics (database); UNFCCC
(2022), Israel National GHG Inventory 2021.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0
50
100
150
200
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
t
Mt
Domestic material consumption, 2010-19
Biomass Fossil energy carriers
Non-metallic minerals Metals
Material footprint per capita
(right axis)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
GDP/DMC-ISR GDP/MF-ISR
GDP/DMC-OECD GDP/MF-OECD
2010=100
Domestic material consumption and material footprint,
Israel and the OECD, 2010-19

11. • Local governments should play a larger part in transition to a
circular economy
• Stakeholder engagement in the circular economy transition
has focused on the private sector
– AMCHAM Circular Economy Forum
– Manufacturers Association of Israel: capacity building workshops
• Israel should promote a bottom-up approach to a circular
economy by establishing a formal stakeholder engagement
mechanism and broadening the stakeholders involved
Engaging with local authorities and stakeholders
is a must for the circular economy transition

12. • Implement the Sustainable Waste Economy Strategy for
2030, create framework legislation for waste, and develop a
roadmap towards a circular economy.
• Develop high-value material loops and mainstream resource
efficiency goals into climate, innovation and education policies.
• Recognise the role of local authorities as key players in the
circular transition.
• Set up economic incentives for separate waste collection and
regulate C&D waste.
• Implement circular criteria in green public procurement,
incorporate circular business models in tenders and build capacity.
Key recommendations on waste management
and circular economy

13. Thank you!
Contacts
Head of Division: Nathalie Girouard Nathalie.Girouard@oecd.org
Report Co-ordinators: Eugene Mazur & Kathleen Dominique Eugene.Mazur@oecd.org;
Kathleen.Dominique@oecd.org
Communications: Natasha Cline-Thomas Natasha.Cline-Thomas@oecd.org