Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2002
Ensuring sustainable livelihoods:
challenges for governments, corporates, and civil society at Rio+10
8 - 11 February 2002, New Delhi

Ministers of the environment: challenges at Rio +10
H E Tzachi Hanegbi
Minister of the Environment, State of Israel

Summary

The Minister’s speech will cover the achievements and challenges of Agenda 21 implementation in Israel. This includes the following general themes:

• Increasing recognition of the importance of the environment and new principles incorporated into policies of the Ministry of the Environment.
• Achievements and challenges in social and economic spheres.
• Air pollution – solar energy use in Israel; the national air quality monitoring system; and the reduction of air pollution from vehicles.
• Marine pollution – prevention and enforcement; responding to the threat of developmental pressure on the coastal and marine environment.
• Water management strategies to preserve and protect Israel’s freshwater resources – new standards for reclaimed water in order to increase the capacity of wastewater reuse.
• Achievements and challenges in managing open spaces for recreation and biodiversity protection.
• New policies of integrated waste management to promote waste recovery and reduce landfill use.
• Hazardous waste supervision and disposal, both industrial and domestic.
• Environmental enforcement and deterrence – the Green Police; alternatives to ‘command and control’.
• Increasing public involvement, NGO activity and environmental education.
• Emphasis on pollution prevention – financial incentives for environmental investment; the Cleaner Production Centre.
• Challenges ahead – sustainable development in local government; sustainable production and consumption; advanced economic incentives for environmental goals.