Despite the fact the not one single environmental law was brought before the cabinet this week, its meeting was all about the environment. Or was it?
First, the cabinet approved the nomination of Shaul Goldstein – a Likud caucus member – for the new head of Israel's Nature and National Parks Service. Goldstein may have been chosen by a professional locator committee appointed by the Environmental Protection Ministry, but the appointment still raises questions about the link between the environment and politics.
The second item on the agenda saw the government agree to change the name of the Ministry of National Infrastructures to the Energy and Water Ministry. The decision followed a recent survey, which was commissioned by the ministry, that found that the term "national infrastructures" was misunderstood by the public. The new name is meant to "better reflect the ministry's authority and responsibilities."
This may seem like mere bureaucracy, a change for the sake of change alone, but in fact, this ministry has the largest environmental impact of all in Israel .The name change may offer the ministry some "green branding," but it cannot hide the fact that it has been stalling, for years, on the national energy project outline; or that it fails to properly run Israel's water economy.
It is the same ministry that has failed to promote energy and solar energy efficiency in Israel – opting instead to push for a coal-based power plant in Ashkelon, and the mining of oil shale in Adullam.
To end on a high note, the government than approved the cost of living chapter in the Trajtenberg Report ,which is riddled with environmental landmines.
As per the report's recommendations, the government chose to fight the petrol monopoly – de facto approving setting up dozens of new gas stations nationwide, via an expedited process and with no environmental forethought. This is likely to have a grave impact on open spaces and lead to the pollution of both the land and water sources.
Upgrading Israel's harbors, which was also approved by the cabinet, will also be done by an expedited process and will not include a full environmental impact review, or a review of any of the relevant alternatives. Even the welcome decision to form a national public transportation administration failed to promise any kind of environmental reform.
One cabinet meeting, full of environmental and life quality-altering decisions – with no real results to speak of.
Prof. Adi Wolfson is Head of the Chemical Engineering Department at SCE College of Engineering