This is according to a study presented as part of an international expert workshop on behalf of the Israel Public Policy Institute (IPPI) and the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The discussion presented guiding principles for climate legislation in Israel, the key elements for effective legislation and what can be learned from countries that have already completed climate legislation
Many countries in the world have recognized in recent years the importance of climate legislation for the implementation of their climate goals. About two-thirds of the OECD countries have already adopted laws designed to establish their commitment to the fight against climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy or plan to do so in the coming years.
These days, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, led by Minister Gila Gamaliel, is working on formulating a historic climate law that will anchor Israel's climate goals and provide long-term certainty to the economy on the way to implementing the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Against this background, the Israel Public Policy Institute (IPPI) and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, with the participation of leading professionals from Israel and Germany, recently held an expert workshop on climate legislation in which various professional questions were examined, including: What models of climate legislation have been successfully tried in the world? What key elements should be included in the first Israeli climate law? What is the role of civil society in promoting a climate law and how can the voices of the Israeli public be integrated effectively within the process?
A new study on behalf of the Israel Public Policy Institute (IPPI), which was presented for the first time at the workshop, surveyed models of climate legislation implemented in European countries, with the intention of identifying the best practices (Best Practices) in regards to setting goals, designing processes for their implementation and evaluating the progress achieved within the legislation.
The main messages of the study
- The climate crisis requires an effective government response. However, most governments are not prepared to deal with it properly.
- Professional and effective treatment of the climate crisis requires the division of responsibilities and the establishment of clear procedures; That is why climate policy needs a dedicated and functional national legislative framework.
- Establishing a national climate policy within the framework of a dedicated law strengthens the policy and transmits a yes effort. By the way, government action becomes more efficient and professional.
- Almost two-thirds of the OECD countries already have a national legislative framework to deal with the climate crisis, or are discussing its establishment; Any other country considering adopting such a climate law would be in good company.
The expert workshop was held as part of the activities of the Ministry of Environmental Protection to lead the Israeli economy to a low-carbon economy until the year 2050, as well as within the project "Transition to a low-carbon economy: perspectives from Israel and Germany", led by the Israel Public Policy Institute (IPPI), in cooperation with the Heinrich Bell Tel Aviv Foundation and with the support of the German Climate Fund , represented by the German Embassy in Israel. The project includes publishing a series of studies on the transition to a low-carbon economy in Israel and Germany as well as holding workshops with the participation of experts from both countries.
The research recommendations
The study identifies five key elements in climate legislation (defining clear goals, designing measures and policies, monitoring progress, defining institutional responsibility and encouraging public participation), and examines their implementation in ten countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. The analysis brings up 20 best practices, including setting specific goals for each industry, designing mechanisms to update the goals, defining a reporting obligation for each industry, and promoting avenues for the involvement of non-governmental actors. Additional insights emphasize the importance of anchoring the law in broad public support, including from political actors, representatives from industry, the private sector and civil society, and the possibility of including the general public in evaluating the goals set and the steps to achieve them.
The principles of the law formulated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection
As part of the workshop, Dr. Gil Proctor, Director of Energy and Climate at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, emphasized the need for climate legislation in Israel as a tool designed to anchor long-term goals, ensure the realization of the State of Israel's vision for a greener future and create certainty and a planning and investment horizon for the economy.
During the workshop, Proactor presented key principles of the emerging legislation in Israel, which is expected to include measures that reflect preparation for the expected consequences of climate change (adaptation) as well as measures designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation). Also, the climate law is expected to define a long-term vision alongside specific goals for the years 2030 and 2050, and chart the path to a transition to a low-carbon economy. The legislation will establish, alongside a clear strategy for the implementation of the defined goals, also mechanisms for updating this strategy in accordance with developments and for monitoring the progress achieved within the framework of the law to ensure compliance with the goals. The legislation will also ensure transparency before the Knesset and the public in Israel.
A team of experts led by Mossad Shmuel Naaman emphasized in the workshop the principle of transparency and responsibility in the emerging law, along with the need to set clear and measurable goals. The discussions during the workshop reiterated the importance of setting long-term goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and establishing sustaining mechanisms such as carbon pricing, which are required to produce planning and investment certainty for the economy.
Another central principle that came up again and again in the discussion is the need to establish reporting and control obligations for the purpose of increasing transparency in the government's progress towards the implementation of the measures and the government's progress towards meeting the national goals. Also, the importance of an external and independent expert committee that will advise the government in setting the goals within the framework of the law and assist in monitoring and evaluations was emphasized.
The contribution of academia and civil society to the promotion of climate legislation
In the discussion that took place in the panel of civil society representatives from Israel and Germany, with the participation of representatives from the Israel Public Policy Institute (IPPI), Adam, Teva and Din, Mossad Na'am and the German Climate Alliance organization (Climate Alliance Germany), the importance and possible ways of integrating representatives of the public and non-governmental organizations into the discussions were discussed around the determination of the goals and the steps to achieve them within the framework of the climate law. During the discussion, the point was raised that non-governmental organizations can contribute to the advancement of the goals that will be defined within the legislation, for example by helping to clarify to elected officials the "electoral value" of promoting green policies, or by challenging policies and measures promoted by other government ministries that are not in line with the goals that will be defined in the law.
This paper presents an overview of more than 20 examples of best practices taken from ten climate laws in OECD countries (all of which also belong to the European Union), which have long-term planning (up to mid-century). The findings presented in this paper may help governments that are in the process of designing (or re-designing) their climate policies, especially if they are considering drafting a dedicated legislative framework, or are already in such a process.
The main messages of the position document:
- The climate crisis requires an effective government response. However, most governments are not prepared to deal with it properly.
- Professional and effective treatment of the climate crisis requires the division of responsibilities and the establishment of clear procedures; That is why climate policy needs a dedicated and functional national legislative framework.
Establishing a national climate policy within the framework of a dedicated law strengthens the policy and transmits a yes effort. By the way, government action becomes more efficient and professional.
- Almost two-thirds of the OECD countries already have a national legislative framework to deal with the climate crisis, or are discussing its establishment; Any other country considering adopting such a climate law would be in good company.
Most climate laws examined include a set of core elements: goals, planning and policy, progress monitoring, institutional accountability, external consultation and public engagement. Climate laws that omit these elements are limited in terms of their ability to help governments promote climate policy effectively and professionally.
The existing laws have many good courses of action. These may serve as a resource and inspiration for other countries, and it is possible to train for the national context in each country.
Political support is a basic condition in climate legislation and in making the laws resistant to changes in the government and to other political and economic developments. It is possible to obtain such support in the process of developing the law and its implementation by involving a wide array of political actors and stakeholders.
A national climate law may be both the result and the means to create and maintain a national consensus regarding the management of the climate crisis. Public involvement does not appear explicitly in some of the analyzed laws, even though public support is a necessary element in successful socio-economic change. Some countries are experimenting with more extensive participation processes, such as citizens' assemblies, in order to involve the public in a significant and direct way in shaping the national climate policy.
The Minister of Environmental Protection, Gila Gamliel, revealed: "The climate crisis is not only a burning environmental issue, but also an economic, social and security issue. Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Israel and the world. In order to overcome these challenges, Israel needs a new growth strategy that will turn it into a country with a modern and competitive economy. These days we are promoting the decision-makers' proposal for a low-carbon economy in Israel, and later we intend to pass a climate law, for the first time in Israel."
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