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Minister Erdan: "The switch to renewable energy calls for choosing among environmental interests, but based on a recognition that this is a national mission, my position is to promote these energies which will significantly minimize air pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions." On January 5, 2010, Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan presented his position to the National Planning and Building Board on two subjects which are highest on the priority list of the Ministry of Environmental Protection: - Promotion of renewable energy, as part of Israel's overall preparations for reducing air pollution and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Promotion of recycling by means of an amendment to the National Master Plan for Waste Treatment.
Promotion of Renewable Energy
In his statement to the National Planning and Building Board, Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan declared: "The State of Israel will not be able to comply with its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, as declared in the Copenhagen Conference, without promoting the developing of solar energy as a national project." According to the Minister, a switch to electricity generation based on renewable energy is a primary phase in Israel's preparations for combating climate change and reducing air pollution. He added that the switch to renewable energy must come in parallel to the promotion of electricity savings and reduced electricity demand. He called on members of the National Board to adopt a planning policy which would increase market certainty and incentivize renewable energy initiatives. Among the main points of such a policy: - Promotion of a national master plan for photovoltaic facilities, while at the same time establishing transitional instructions to facilitate the advancement of plans within the framework of regional planning agencies until such time that the master plan is approved.
- Immediate establishment of a subcommittee of the southern regional planning committee to facilitate and speed up the advancement of plans.
- Recognition of solar facilities as engineering facilities rather than as power plants in order to simplify the planning process and exempt small and medium size facilities from the obligation to prepare environmental impact assessments, while obliging them to prepare alternative environmental documents in parallel to the promotion of projects.
- Giving preference in the planning process to rooftop solar facilities and facilitating speedy approval in local planning committees through the amendment of regulations.
Promotion of Recycling An amendment to Israel's National Master Plan for Solid Waste Disposal is currently in discussion in the National Planning and Building Board. The amendment introduces new statutory provisions to the 1989 master plan, which are meant to implement the Solid Waste Management Master Plan which was adopted by the National Board in 2006. The master plan formulated a long-term management policy, aimed at accelerating the transition from solid waste landfilling to recycling in order to reduce adverse impacts on the environment and on nature. Alternative means of recycling and recovery include: reduction of waste at source, composting, anaerobic digestion and, in the future, thermal treatment. Landfilling, currently the primary treatment method, will become the last alternative in the hierarchy of treatment methods. In his statement to the National Board, the Minister of Environmental Protection noted that the amendment to the National Master Plan for Solid Waste Disposal constitutes a central step in Israel's recycling revolution and in the transformation of waste from nuisance to resource. "The amendment to the master plan, which is on the agenda today," he said, "is meant to facilitate the establishment of waste recycling plants, which are of top importance in providing solutions other than landfilling to waste and its recycling. The existing old master plan no longer responds to the needs of the present and makes it difficult for entrepreneurs to establish recycling plants. The National Board should approve the amendment to the master plan, thus allowing for the approval of recycling and separation of waste facilities in local planning committees, based on a faster planning procedure."
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