1. Of Symptoms and Causes The Antecedents of Israel’s Environmental Challenges By Prof. Alon Tal, BGU

3. Milk and Honey or Pollution and Toxics

4. Geometric Population Growth \

5. Ministry of Environment Budget 2002-2004 (in millions of shekels) YEARNET ALLOCATIONSSpecial allocationsTOTAL ALLOCATIONSPERMISSION TO COMMIIT תקציב 2004189,09814,469203,56720,153 תקציב 2003 232,115 270,400 13,225 23,496 245,340 293,896 31,200 31,406 תקציב 2002 213,645 318,826 14,152 22,541 227,797 341,367 33,000 62,896

6. Itinerary: Quick Review of Israel’s Environmental Condition Historical “Zionist” influences Ideological Axioms & Environmental Impacts Towards Sustainability

7. Air Quality in Tel Aviv The Epidemiology of a Public Health Disaster

8. מקורות הזיהום

9. Gutman, 1996 (Technion Research) Figure 1. Idling tests results Figure 2. Percentage of vehicles which passed the idling test Mobile Sources: Older is Dirtier!

10. WHO - Cl – < 250 ppm Israel Average 1998 190 ppm Tel Aviv Gaza Gaza WHO - NO 3 - < 45 ppm Israel Average 1998 = 58 ppm = 58 ppm Water Quality - Coastal Aquifer (Israel Hydrological Service 1999)

11. Mineral Water in Israel: The New Necessity Adam Teva V ’ din ’ s 2005 Report on Poverty and the Environment: 72% of Israelis drink mineral water

12. Stream Restoration in Israel An Unmitigated Failure

13. The Kishon River Pathology 60 former naval frogmen suing Haifa Chemicals and others (for 500 million shekel) Atzmon v. Haifa Chemicals 50 fishermen – demand 150 million

14. Impact of overpumping  Nitrate and chloride concentrations 1975-2000

15. POPULATION 19902020

16. Desertification – The Environmental Orphan

17. Israel’s Climate is changing Today’s changes are far faster IPCC models suggest up to 35% precipitation drop 3-5 degrees (C) rise in temperatures: 2071-2100

18. Israel’s Report to the United Nations Climate Convention 4-8% projected drop in rainfall 10% increase in evapotranspiration Dramatic increase in rainfall intensity Continuous temperature fluctuations Sea level increase of 12 to 88 cm.

19. The Total Rainfall Amount Comparison between Israel & Jordan

20. Rainfall Patterns in the Arava – 24 mm and 22 mm drop from 40 years ago.

21. Shifting rainfall gradient Shifting rainfall gradient Drylands Index humid dry sub-humid semi-arid Hyper-arid 700 מ " מ 30 mm

22. Ministry of Environment Research (2006) Summer temperatures up 1 degree each year recently Chance of summer days being “very hot” up 300% in past 40 years Days that Jerusalem temperatures exceeded 35 degrees (95 F) up

23. 5 cm. increase in sea level Climate Change Scenarios for Israel

24. Scarcity is no longer inevitable

25. The Eilat Desalination Facility

26. Desalination/RO –Drawbacks Space on the Beach Use of Chemicals Phosphates/Boron Control Cumulative Impacts of Brine Energy – GHG Emissions

27. Ashkelon: The Next Generation

28. Government Decision #246: May 14, 2003 A Strategic Program for Sustainable Development in Israel The Policy of the Government of Israel will be based on the principles of management involving Sustainable Development that integrate: a dynamic economy, wise utilization of natural resources, protection of ecological systems and granting equal opportunityt ot all/ This, in order to answer the needs of the present generation an dthe needs of the future generations – pursuant to previous government decision 2426 from August 4, 2002 and th espirit of th edecisions from the World Summit for Sustinable Development that took placein Johannesburg South Africa, (August-September 2002)

29. 40 Some good news: Drip Irrigation

30.  End of 1950s – low cost plastics makes it possible.  In 1965 Netafim Corporation established at Kibbutz Hatzerim.  Today over 200 million dollars in annual sales.  Used world-wide from marijuana growers in California to vegetables in Afghanistan.  Israel’s 50 th anniversary: voted “best invention.”

31. Drip Irrigation: Benefits  Evaporation is reduced relative to sprinklers  Can irrigate steep landscapes.  Eliminates drift during wastewater reuse.  Allows for precise chemigation.  Delivers to the root zone.  Automation = optimization  Water use per yield drops!!!

32. Subsurface drip irrigation: The Next Generation Conserves water while:  controlling weeds,  minimize runoff and evaporation,  increase longevity of laterals and emitters,  ease use of heavy equipment in the field, and  prevent human contact with low-quality water.  Labor saving (avoids seasonal installation).

33. Water Harvesting in Israel Floodwater can be used for 2 purposes: 1. To improve quality and quantity of ground water by replenishing aquifers. 2. To impound floodwaters for direct supply to irrigation systems in nearby fields.

34. "And now it is my turn for a terrible confession. I object to nature preservation. The very ideal of "preservation" is not acceptable in almost any area of life. We have not come into this world to protect or preserve any given thing, mitzvah, nature or cultural heritage..... We have not inherited a museum, to patiently wipe off the dust from its displays or to polish the glass..... Nature also is not a museum. One is allowed to touch, allowed to move, to draw closer, to change and to leave our stamp..... Touch the stone. Touch the animal. Touch your fellow man. On one condition. How to touch?.. To answer on one leg" and in a word I would say: 'with love. ” Amos Oz, 1981