Environment and climate

Encouraging local agriculture and implementing a national food-security program based on strengthening local production, and creating an incentive system aimed at reducing food waste at all stages of growing, marketing and consumption.

Entrenching basic rights to a healthy environment in a Basic Law: Environment and in the Climate Law.

• •The Democrats will be the spearhead in advancing legislation that will serve as a compass for policy and planning while ensuring environmental justice and every citizen's right to a healthy environment, today and for future generations.
• •The Basic Law: Environment will entrench the right to a healthy environment and the state's duty to preserve natural resources.
• •In addition, we will re-establish the Commissioner for Future Generations.
• •We will enact the Climate Law, which will include clear reduction targets of 50% of greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 and 100% by 2050, will require the preparation and updating of government-wide work plans for preparing for climate change and mechanisms for implementing and funding them, such as expanding the powers and budgets of the Government Climate Change Administration and formulating multi-year climate situation assessments that will include national-security aspects.

Improving air quality through a transportation revolution, a just transition to clean industries, while increasing enforcement and penalties against polluters.

• •Advancing a sustainable, equal and efficient transportation system that prioritizes public transportation throughout the week, and planning and building living environments that support walking and cycling, so that by 2040 Israel will be a leading country in public-transportation travel.
• •In addition, ensuring a transition to clean industries: closing coal-fired power plants, accelerated implementation of the Haifa Bay recovery plan, relocating Bazan and other polluting industries, while giving economic certainty to factory workers and creating new employment opportunities.
• •Against the current government's neglect, we will strengthen enforcement mechanisms and toughen penalties for environmental offenses and pollution, including noise and radiation that harm public health.

Leading energy efficiency and an accelerated shift to renewable energy.

• •Making energy consumption more efficient, strengthening energy resilience and local energy independence, by moving to a cleaner, smarter, more efficient, decentralized and flexible electricity system.
• •Encouraging the deployment of solar energy on buildings, rooftops and infrastructure corridors.
• •Encouraging innovation and advanced energy-storage means and positioning Israel as a technological leader with massive investment in Israeli research and development in energy and climate (climatech and cleantech) and embedding the subject in the education system.

Encouraging and incentivizing a circular, local economy, environmental innovation, sustainable consumption and dealing with the waste crisis.

• •Urgently addressing the waste crisis through a significant reform that will include, among other things, establishing a dedicated national waste authority, building infrastructure and encouraging reduction and recycling to cut landfill volumes, as well as extended-producer-responsibility legislation and reducing single-use as a package alongside incentivizing alternative environmental solutions.
• •Leading and supporting initiatives for a transition to a local and shared circular economy.

Amending the Planning and Building Law and strengthening the quality and independence of the planning systems, public participation and the powers of local authorities.

• •Strengthening the independence, quality and transparency of planning institutions, the environmental-consulting system and public-participation mechanisms for optimal management and planning of natural resources and infrastructure.
• •And strengthening the representation of the public and local authorities in the decision-making institutions and planning committees.
• •Amending legislation and removing barriers to ensure the appointment and participation of environmental-organization representatives in all planning committees.
• •Encouraging urban renewal and strengthening existing communities instead of building new ones.

Amending legislation and increasing resources to protect animals, flora and open spaces, and advancing regional cooperation for managing natural resources.

• •Advancing regional cooperation and implementing existing international conventions and agreements, among others with Jordan and the Palestinian Authority for shared management of water, including rehabilitating the southern Jordan River and the Dead Sea.
• •Strengthening enforcement and tougher penalties for nature crimes: fighting the illegal trade in wild animals and plants, including by amending the Prohibition on Money Laundering Law, and amending the Animal Welfare Law.
• •Budgeting and implementing a comprehensive national action plan to preserve and rehabilitate biodiversity in a participatory process.
• •Reaching 30% nature reserves on land and at sea by 2030 and increasing protection of nature reserves and ecological corridors.
• •Protecting and rehabilitating the sea and the land through legislating a contaminated-lands law, a marine-areas law and the TALMAT law (the national plan for preparedness and response to marine oil-pollution events), and working to expand public revenue from the exploitation of natural resources.