From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Environment Ministry says some budget funds to focus on building climate resilience
Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
The Environmental Protection Ministry announces that as part of the state budget approved early this morning, it will receive a basic budget for the current year of NIS 384 million ($103 million), rising to NIS 395 million ($106 million) in 2024.
This is less than the NIS 429 million ($115 million) basic budget it received for 2022.
However, an additional NIS 510 million ($137 million) will be paid out over two years for special projects, it said.
This breaks down into: NIS 200 million ($53.8 million) for building the country’s climate resilience, helping transition to a net zero-emissions economy, and making urban living more sustainable; NIS 100 million ($27 million) for a new program to integrate environmental content in ultra-Orthodox communities, and for training in Orthodox teacher training colleges; NIS 170 million ($45.7 million) to implement an environmental licensing reform which will combine a slew of environmental permits into one single one; and NIS 40 million ($10.8 million) for various environment-related projects in local and regional authorities.
The ministry will receive 46 new positions to help it implement the licensing reform, six more for waste management, and a further six for purposes not defined.
