Israel Will Use Glasgow Talks to Push for Climate Law at Home

(Bloomberg) -- If countries generally use global climate summits to push domestic agendas on an international stage, then Israel’s environment minister is standing things on their head: She hopes next week’s conference in Glasgow will get her country to finally commit to a more ambitious domestic agenda.

“I must honestly say that I am counting on the atmosphere in Glasgow, the delegation’s meetings with other leaders, and their commitment to this subject to expose the delegation to where the other countries are,” Tamar Zandberg said in an interview before the United Nations’ World Climate Summit in Glasgow. “I hope this will be a catalyst for us to set more ambitious goals that will be anchored in law.” 

Israel has historically put security and the economy top on the list of its priorities, with the environment trailing. Israel’s new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, has elevated climate concerns by declaring them a new national security interest, and putting the same body in charge of monitoring threats from national enemies in charge.

But the government’s climate plan isn’t anchored in law, so it’s non-binding, and Israel has yet to set zero emissions as a goal for 2050 as many other nations have done -- something Zandberg says she intends to fight for. 

Israel’s average temperature is rising, meanwhile, at a faster pace than it had in previous decades. And the Middle East, the UN has warned, will be one of the first regions to feel extended drought. 

A government watchdog gave Israel a dismal grade when it comes to dealing with the climate crisis. 

“Israel is one of only a few nations in the world that has yet to begin to prepare a national plan even though it is situated in a region of increased risk,” according to the report, released this week.

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