On March 14, 2010, Israel's Cabinet approved a joint initiative of the Ministries of Environmental Protection and Finance to establish an interministerial committee on formulating a national plan for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The decision comes within the framework of Israel's preparations for combating climate change and in order to implement the emission reduction targets which were set by Israel in the Copenhagen Climate Change Convention in December 2009 (20% reduction relative to the "business as usual" scenario in 2020). The committee will deal, inter alia, with energy efficiency, green building and the economic aspects of the subject and their impacts on Israel's industry and export. The committee's recommendations for an action plan will be submitted for approval to the Ministerial Committee on Environmental Protection and Climate Change in October 2010. The interministerial committee will be chaired by the director general of the Ministry of Finance and will include the directors general of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry of National Infrastructure, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Labor, Ministry of the Interior, Chairman of the Public Utility Authority ? Electricity and the Attorney General. According to Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan, "This is a significant step in the country's attitude toward greenhouse gas emissions reductions and air pollution. The interministerial committee, headed by the director general of the Ministry of Finance, will provide the necessary operative tools to implement the ambitious targets which Israel set in the Copenhagen Climate Change Convention and will create an opportunity for a significant change in the economy by means of such steps as energy efficiency, green building, advancement of environmental technology, and more." Haim Shani, Director General of the Ministry of Finance noted: "The committee was established in recognition of the importance of greenhouse gas emissions reduction in order to promote green growth which will contribute both to environmental improvement and to the development of Israel's cleantech industry."
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