indicators for sustainable development in israel - second phase. 2009

Upload: environmental-policy-center

Post on 09-Apr-2018

217 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    1/21

    Editors

    Moti Kaplan, Amir Eidelman, Galit Cohen

    Jerusalem

    2009

    Indicators for SustainableDevelopment in Israel

    Second Phase

    The Environmental Policy Center Policy and Planning Division

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    2/21

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    3/21

    Steering Committee

    Valerie Brachya , Ministry o Environmental Protection

    Pnina Zadka , Central Bureau o Statistics

    Pro. Eran Feitelson , Hebrew University o Jerusalem

    Project CoordinationGalit Hazan, Jerusalem Institute or Israel Studies

    Writing o the Document

    Moti Kaplan Regional and Environmental

    PlanningArch. Naama Ringel

    Shira Buckwald

    Rebecca WolpeNirit Vitman

    Liora Hami-Cohen

    Sarit Caspi-Oron

    Edith Molot

    Central Bureau o StatisticsIdit Gajst

    Amit Yagur-Kroll

    Dr. Moshe Yanai

    Roee Abudi

    Pareto Engineering Ltd.Dr. Doron Lavee

    Sadan-Lowenthal, ConsultantsRuth Lowenthal

    Transport Today and TomorrowDr. Karl Martens

    Avital Shechter

    Jerusalem Institute or Israel StudiesMichal Korach

    Scientic Advice

    Dr. Yeshayahu Bar-Or, Chie Scientist, Ministry o

    Environmental Protection

    Dr. Amos Bein, Hydrology

    Dr. Meir Ben Zvi, Hydrology

    Pro. Arza Churchman, Environmental Psychology

    Ran Haklai, Economics

    Ziona Haklai, Health

    Gideon Hashimshoni, Transport

    Dr. Jean Koch, Air Quality

    Einat Meged, Transport

    Arch. Dina Rachevsky, Planning

    Dr. Emanuel Sharon, Economics

    Pro. Uri Shamir, Water Quality

    Pro. Ilan Solomon, Transport

    Michael Zaide, Water Quality

    Language Editing

    Ronit Rahav

    Ella Omer

    Printing and ProductionPublication and Inormation Division, Ministry o

    Environmental Protection

    Design and Typesetting

    Rami and Jaki Studio

    Translation to English

    Shoshana Gabbay

    The document is available at:

    www.sviva.gov.il

    www.jiis.org.il

    www.cbs.gov.il

    Copyrights belong to the Ministry o Environmental

    Protection, the Central Bureau o Statistics and the

    Jerusalem Israel or Israel Studies.

    Parts o this document may be cited and copied orresearch, educational and policy purposes, provided

    ull credit is given to the source.

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    4/21

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    5/21

    1. Introduction

    Sustainable development policy in Israel aims to

    respond to the development needs o a progressive,

    modern and egalitarian society, while preserving vital

    spatial and environmental resources.

    The policy is designed to accommodate a growing

    population and a continuous rise in standard o living,

    while wisely and eciently utilizing the country's

    resources and assuring opportunities and services

    to the weakest population groups; to allocate space

    or development and building while conserving

    land resources, especially high quality and sensitive

    ones; to meet the annual demand or water while

    preserving the quality o dierent water sources and

    assuring their quantity and continuation or uture

    generations; and to meet the needs o industry,

    transport and energy production while maintaining

    air quality or the pleasure and health o the generalpopulation.

    Indicators are expected to help assess the

    environmental implications o development trends

    and to test whether they advance or contradict

    sustainable development policy. Indicators also help

    to check whether development takes into account

    the scarcity and vulnerability o environmental

    resources and uses them cautiously and prudently, or

    needlessly depletes them. One o the main aims o the

    indicators is to set "red lights" in those areas in which

    discerned trends substantially contradict sustainabledevelopment principles. The role o indicators is to

    guide human actions so that most o the resources

    remain or present and uture generations and to

    assure well-being and ample opportunities to the

    general public, including the weaker sectors o the

    population.

    The process o ormulating sustainable development

    indicators in Israel began with discussions about

    the nature o such indicators, their compilation

    rom dierent sources and their appropriateness to

    conditions in Israel. A range o experts rom dierentdisciplines participated in the discussions and

    reviewed development trends and indicators that

    would be most suitable or depicting trends in Israel.

    A report entitled "Sustainable Development Indicators

    in Israel, Summary Report Phase I " rst proposed a

    series o indicators, some o which were based on

    international sources ollowing adaptation to Israel's

    needs, and some o which were developed rom the

    outset to respond to Israel's unique conditions.

    Although Israel resembles developed Western

    countries, it nevertheless diers rom them in

    term o its dimensions, physical conditions, rate

    o development and way o lie. The accelerated

    development which the country has witnessed over

    the past 60 years is essentially unmatched in Western

    countries. Israel's population grew more than tenold

    rom the time the state was rst established, and

    massive development was needed to respond to

    such accelerated growth in terms o built-up area,

    industry, inrastructure development and utilization oscarce land and water sources.

    Alongside the emphasis placed on environmental

    aspects and the need to leave resources or uture

    generations, indicators were also chosen to reveal

    social and economic trends. Concern or the weaker

    sectors o the population and prevention o poverty

    and economic deterioration are signicant directions

    in achieving sustainable development and are

    represented by a specic series o indicators.

    The current document presents ten indicators which

    are based on the rst phase report. These indicators

    were selected to represent the groups established in

    Agenda 21 in the social, environmental and economic

    realms, with the exception o the institutional realm.

    The rst two phases o the project represent the

    beginning o an extended process o ormulating a

    comprehensive, dynamic and up to date system o

    indicators. This system will serve as a tool or policy

    makers, government bodies and the environmental

    administration in monitoring the success and

    eectiveness o trends in achieving sustainable

    development.

    I. BACKGROUND

    5

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    6/21

    2. Indicators or SustainableDevelopment in Western Countries

    Indicators or sustainable development are signs

    which help to reveal development trends and show

    to what extent they correspond to or contradict the

    advancement o sustainable development.Indicators examine pressures on environmental

    resources and their causes and help indicate

    possibilities or reducing these pressures eciently.

    They are designed in such a way as to present the

    current state and trends o change in relation to long

    term targets. In this way, they serve as more than

    a monitoring measure but also as a tool or policy

    ormulation by decision makers.

    Indicator systems or sustainable development have

    been developed throughout the world, each with

    its own emphasis. Following is a summary o somerepresentative indicator systems.

    2.1. Environmental Indicator System or

    the European Union Countries EEAThe European Environment Agency (EEA) is a

    scientic body ounded to monitor environmental

    trends in Europe. This agency produces, among

    others, comprehensive reports once every ve years,

    beginning with 1994. The reports survey subjects

    related to policy setting in European countries as a

    whole and monitor the implementation o EuropeanUnion (EU) guidelines. The EEA report denes priority

    areas or monitoring: climate change, nature and

    biodiversity, environment, health and quality o lie,

    natural resources and waste.

    Trends in EU states ocus on the ollowing subjects:

    Environmental aspects o consumption patterns

    and steps to restrain over-consumption.

    Scope and manner o use o global resources, not

    only local consumption.

    Depletion o the earth's natural capital anddamage to natural systems.

    Review o dispersed pollution sources and their

    mitigation.

    Conronting natural and man-made hazards in

    natural systems.

    A comparison between European states was made

    on the basis o 37 environmental indicators. The

    description o each indicator begins with a relevant

    policy question and continues by speciying

    the context o decision making in each area

    (environmental legislation, environmental decisions,

    etc.). A comparison between the states is then

    presented in relation to target achievement in nine

    main environmental areas, including: greenhouse gas

    emissions, energy consumption, renewable energy, air

    pollution, ozone depletion, reight transport demand,

    organic agriculture, municipal waste and greywater

    use. Based on the ndings and on the analysis o the

    indicators, eight areas which call or a change in policy

    were identied: reducing household consumption,

    EU expansion, abating biodiversity loss, promoting

    sustainable use and management o natural resources,

    integrated policy, increased ocus on climate change,

    greater attention to the global environment and

    increased emphasis on the link between environment

    and health.

    The report also denes the desirable targets or the

    next report and the progress achieved in meeting

    the targets in relation to environmental conventions,

    oremost among which is the Kyoto Protocol.

    2.2. Indicator Development in the OECD

    FrameworkAccording to the Organization or Economic

    Cooperation and Development (OECD), environmental

    indicators on their own are not eective in reducing

    the driving orces responsible or environmental

    deterioration. The basic assumption is that human

    activity puts pressure on the environment and that

    this pressure may harm environmental, economicand social systems. Thereore, policy should relate to

    human activities and respond to these changes.

    In order to identiy trends in dierent areas, a system

    o indicators was dened to check driving orces and

    indicate areas in which intervention could bring about

    a change in undesirable trends.

    Within this ramework three categories were dened

    pressure, state and response (PSR).

    Pressure Indicators to identiy environmental

    and human responses to the pressure created.

    State Indicators to identiy processes which

    create undesirable environmental impacts.

    Response Indicators to examine changes in the

    state o the environment in light o implemented

    policy and measures.

    Five sets o indicators were dened, each integrated

    within the other. Each set o indicators corresponds

    to a specic goal and audience. The ollowing table

    presents the ve sets o indicators, their unction,

    target audience and goal:

    6

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    7/21

    Key

    Indicators

    Core Indicators Sectoral

    Indicators

    Indicators

    Derived rom

    Environmental

    Accounting

    Decoupling

    Environmental

    Indicators

    Function in

    the System

    Inorming the

    public

    Tracking

    environmental

    progress

    Promoting integration Monitoring

    progress toward

    sustainable

    development

    Target

    Audience

    Public and

    high ranking

    decision

    makers

    Governments

    and

    environmental

    decision makers

    Governments and decision makers in dierent sectors

    Features and

    Scope

    Used or

    international

    comparison

    Used or decision making on the national and sectoral levels

    Key Indicatorsa. include a limited set o

    indicators vital or identiying the main environmental

    trends. This set is composed o ten indicators related

    to pollution and natural resources and assets:

    Issues relating to pollution include climate

    change, ozone layer, air quality, waste recycling

    and water quality. The ve corresponding

    indicators are: carbon dioxide emissions,

    consumption o ozone depleting substances,

    emissions o nitrogen and sulur compounds,

    waste recycling in local authorities and extent o

    wastewater treatment.

    Issues relating to natural resources and assets

    include water resources, orest resources, shing

    resources, energy resources and biodiversity. The

    ve corresponding indicators are: intensity o

    water resource use, intensity o orest resource

    use, intensity o shing resource use, intensity o

    energy use and endangered species.

    Each o these indicators constitutes a subsystem o

    several indicators which deal with the same issue.

    Thus, or example, the indicator or carbon dioxide

    emissions is made up o emissions per capita,

    emissions per gross domestic product and rate o

    change in emissions since 1980.

    Core Indicatorsb. include the key indicators

    plus additional environmental indicators. This group

    represents a wider range o environmental subjects

    which relate to most o the member states in the

    organization. However, this set only includes some40-50 indicators. Climate change, or example,

    is represented in the key indicator category by

    the indicator o carbon dioxide emissions. In the

    core indicators, climate change includes several

    indicators which are categorized according to the

    PSR ramework. The indicator used to measure the

    pressure on the environment which causes climate

    change is greenhouse gases emissions, which is

    composed o emissions o CO2, CH

    4, N

    2O, PFC, HFC

    and SF6. The indicators used to measure the state o

    the environment in relation to climate change aregreenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere

    and the global means temperature. The indicator used

    to measure response relating to climate change is

    eciency o energy use which is composed o the rate

    o energy use and economic and scal instruments.

    Sectoral Indicatorsc. give expression to the

    interdisciplinary aspect o sustainable development.

    This set o indicators is the only one to measure

    aspects which go beyond environmental aspects

    and to examine the links between them and the

    environment.

    7

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    8/21

    Environmental Accounting Indicatorsd.

    utilize physical natural resource accounts as well as

    environmental expenditure accounts.

    Decoupling Environmental Indicatorse.

    measure the decoupling o the long-term link

    between economic progress and exploitation and

    deterioration o environmental resources. Theseindicators examine this decoupling on the macro level

    and the sector level.

    Initially, the OECD environmental indicators were

    only perceived as a system or environmental review,

    but economic and social indicators were eventually

    added. Attempts were also made to examine the links

    between justice, poverty and environmental state,

    on the one hand, and consumption patterns and

    unsustainable production, on the other hand.

    OECD Environmental Outlook: Forecast or

    2020 on the Basis o the Indicators

    OECD was the rst organization to develop a system

    o indicators or sustainable development. In 2001, the

    organization published a orecast on the state o the

    environment in developed countries or 2020. Based

    on the indicators, this orecast was meant to discernsectors in which improvement was needed and to

    dene ways in which to eect such improvement.

    The indicator-based environmental outlook was

    divided into three levels which are graphically

    represented by trac light signals: A green light

    signies the possibility o "proceeding cautiously";

    a yellow light signies that urther review is needed

    to assess the trends and their signicance and to

    establish environmental policy; and a red light

    signies a negative state which calls or changing the

    discerned trends and taking urgent action.

    Signals o the OECD Environmental Outlook

    Green Light Yellow Light Red Light

    Pressures on theEnvironment

    Industrial point sourcepollution

    Some air pollutants

    Water use

    Toxic emissions romindustry

    Hazardous wastegeneration

    Energy production anduse

    Agricultural pollution

    Over-shing

    Greenhouse gas

    emissionsMotor vehicle andaviation air pollutionemissions

    Municipal wastegeneration

    State o theEnvironment

    Forest coverage Surace water quality

    Forest quality

    Ozone layer integrity

    Biodiversity

    Tropical orest coverage

    Fish stocks

    Groundwater quality

    Urban air quality

    Climate change

    Chemicals in theenvironment

    Societal Response "Green" purchasing

    "Green" agriculture

    Protected areas

    Resource eciency

    Energy eciency

    Biotechnology

    Forest plantations

    Aquaculture

    Energy and transporttechnologies

    Waste management

    8

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    9/21

    2.3. Developing Indicators in the UNCSD:

    Division into Four Areas

    Corresponding to Agenda 21The UN Commission or Sustainable Development

    (UNCSD) was established in the atermath o the 1992

    Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In 1995 it called or

    developing a system o indicators in our areas denedin Agenda 21: economy, society, environment and

    institutional organization.

    The work plan o the UNCSD included three dierent

    stages. In the rst stage, a list o 134 indicators was

    ormulated which were characterized by the Driving

    Force-State-Response (DSR) ramework, which

    improves on the PSR ramework. The PSR method was

    originally developed by the OECD when the concept

    o sustainable development was still in its inancy

    and largely ocused on environmental indicators. In

    the improved ramework, D, which stands or drivingorce, substitutes or P, which denotes environmental

    pressure. This change refects the wider reerence

    to the economic and social aspects o sustainable

    development. In the second stage, 22 countries were

    chosen as pilots or testing the indicators. In the third

    stage, in light o the pilot's lessons, a nal list o 58

    indicators was ormulated in 2001. While constituting

    an improvement over the rst list, these indicators

    cannot be implemented in every state. Adaptation

    and ormulation o dierent or complementary

    indicators is needed or dierent countries.Despite the limitations and disadvantages o the

    UNCSD indicator system, it constitutes the most

    widespread basis or discussion and review o

    sustainable development indicators in the world

    today.

    Indicator Development or Mediterranean

    States UNEP-MAP Blue PlanThe indicator system o the Blue Plan specically

    relates to Mediterranean coastal countries. The Blue

    Plan ormulated a list o 130 indicators divided intosix sectoral rameworks which are derived rom the

    guidelines o Agenda 21: population and society,

    territory and human settlement, economic activity

    and sustainability, environmental quality, sustainable

    development - players and policy, and cooperation in

    the Mediterranean region. The indicators are based

    on the PSR ramework. Their innovation lies in their

    classication according to an additional section, the

    geographical scale regional, national, coastal and

    site location. For example, indicators on marine and

    coastal issues are classied according to the ollowing

    spatial scale:

    National Levela.

    Indicator number 32: Coastal erosion

    Defnition:The length o a given coastal strip

    undergoing erosion, whether manmade or natural,

    expressed as a percentage o the total coastal strip.

    Methodological description: Erosion is a natural

    phenomenon which occurs to dierent degreesin some Mediterranean coasts. The main causes o

    this phenomenon are seawater, wave intensity and

    marine currents. The eect changes according to the

    eatures o the coast (rocky or sandy). As a result o

    this erosion, the coastal line recedes, with the most

    severe maniestation in river estuaries. Calculation o

    the indicator depends on available sources in each

    country and on means o identiying coastal line

    changes.

    Coastal Area Levelb.

    Indicator 33: Protected coastal area

    Defnition:The total o protected areas in a specic

    year, which include coastal ecosystems (continental

    and marine).

    Methodological description: National legislation

    exists in all countries regarding the protection

    o natural heritage. For the sake o comparison,

    protected areas are listed under categories dened

    by the International Union or Conservation o

    Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). IUCN denes

    six categories o protected areas in two groups: ully

    protected areas natural reserves, national parks

    and natural monuments; partially protected areas

    habitats, protected land and marine landscapes and

    protected resource management zones.

    Out o all o these areas, the total protected areas

    in the country which include a coastal segment are

    totaled.

    In addition to these 130 indicators, the Blue Plan also

    developed a more limited system o 34 indicators to

    monitor sustainable development progress in the

    Mediterranean region, within the ramework o theMediterranean Strategy or Sustainable Development.

    The strategy responds to our targets (parallel to the

    distribution o indicators in the CSD: economy, society,

    environment and institutional) and is composed

    o seven sectors (water, energy, transport, tourism,

    agriculture, urban development and coastal areas).

    9

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    10/21

    2.4. Aggregative Index (ESI)This index refects a totality o actors and their

    interrelationships which impact on sustainable

    development. The index enables a comparison

    between countries and their ranking in relation to

    one another. The disadvantage o this index lies in

    the diculty to develop a single indicator which

    accurately refects a complex state. An example o

    such an aggregative index is the Environmental

    Sustainability Index o the World Economic Forum. In

    2005, the ESI ranked Israel in the 62nd place among

    146 nations, with a score o 50.9, due to the intense

    pressures on land and water. In comparison, Finland

    was ranked rst with a score o 75.1 and North Korea

    last with a score o 29.2.

    3. Development o Indicators in Israel

    3.1. Indicator SelectionIn the current phase, indicators are presented as a rststep in the process o ormulating a comprehensive

    system o indicators or sustainable development in

    Israel. The indicators were ormulated on the basis o

    a proposal included in the rst phase o this project,

    based on available data in the Central Bureau o

    Statistics.

    Indicator selection was based on a comprehensive

    review o studies carried out in dierent rameworks

    and according to the ollowing considerations:

    Recommendations o the rst stage o theproject which were based on thematic

    background papers.

    Existence o an available and reliable database

    or the analysis o the indicator.

    Correspondence to the Blue Plan indicators.

    Indicators recommended within the ramework

    o a committee to review Israel's sustainable

    development strategy.

    The indicators were classied according to six subjects

    established or the UNCSD system: economic growth,

    level o social and environmental equity in the present

    generation, capacity to cope with environmental

    issues, protection o the interests o uture

    generations, eciency o natural resource utilization

    and quality o lie o the present generation.

    3.2. Methodology or Indicator AnalysisThe indicators in this report encompass a wide

    range o subjects which represent dierent areas o

    sustainable development. The dierences and variety

    o the indicators call or standardization o the process

    or two primary reasons:

    Ability to compare between the indicators andobjectively track trends in each area.

    Establishment o a basis or comparison between

    indicator systems in Israel and worldwide

    Each o the indicators is described in detail

    according to the ollowing sections:

    Nature o the IndicatorA short introduction including a description o the

    indicator, the ways in which it will identiy changes in

    direction and trends, the indications or these changes

    and the signicance o the indicator or sustainable

    development.

    DatabaseDenition: Denition o the basic concepts and terms

    related to the data used or indicator analysis.

    Data Source: A reliable and timely source o data is

    a prerequisite and basis or an indicator system. For

    the most part, the data sources in this project are

    data compiled and produced by the Central Bureau

    o Statistics (CBS). These data encompass dierentsubjects and some are provided to the CBS by external

    sources (Hydrological Service, JNF-KKL and others).

    In a ew cases, when CBS data were missing, other

    sources were used.

    Collection and Calculation Method: Specication,

    as ar as possible, o collection methods, sampling

    methods and data processing and analysis.

    Data Limitations: Extent o compatibility o

    the measured data with the description o the

    phenomenon, limitations in assembling the samples,

    errors in sampling and data collection, inconsistentand irregular data collection, limited time period or

    data collection, etc. weaken the link between the

    collected data and the examined phenomenon.

    10

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    11/21

    Indicator AnalysisDiscernible Trends:The results were presented as a

    time series, based on the availability o the data over

    the years. This allowed or a depiction o the changes

    and trends in the specic area over time.

    Reasons and Explanations or the Trends: This

    section seeks to explain the changes which occurredin a specic area. When man-made, these changes are

    meant to indicate the link or the infuence between

    human activity and the trend.

    Sustainable DevelopmentLink between the indicator and sustainable

    development:This section relates to the indicators

    according to their classication into environmental,

    economic and social groups.

    In the environmental realm, the link between the

    trends and the environmental phenomena is sought:is it stable, improved, deteriorating?

    In the economic realm, the results indicate the

    economic level o individuals in society and the

    economic growth in given time periods.

    In the social realm, the ocus is on identiying

    well-being and quality o lie, inequality and gaps,

    especially where costs would be imposed on the

    weaker sectors o society and where benets would

    be reaped by a small group.

    Data limitations related to sustainabledevelopment: Indicators generally reveal a specic

    direction which refects the general trend in a dened

    subject. However, since sustainable development

    encompasses wide-ranging activities and conditions,

    which are all interrelated, identiying a specic trend

    may well indicate a direction in this specic realm but

    not a general direction. This is the main weakness o

    the indicator system. Thereore, a more systematic

    vision based on the observation o a series o

    indicators is needed in order to gain a comprehensive

    view. This section ocuses and species the limitations

    in each subject.

    Linkage to other indicatorsOne indicator is requently insucient to describe a

    trend, even in a single and dened subject. Several

    indicators, covering dierent aspects or parts o a

    certain subject, are necessary in order to understand

    the trend. This section species the additional

    indicators which are needed to complete the general

    picture in a specic subject.

    Recommendations or improving the

    indicator and urthering its developmentOn the basis o the results, a series o

    recommendations was dened, whether on the

    urther development o the specic indicator or

    analysis o additional indicators necessary to complete

    the picture. Where possible, recommendations were

    also made on processes to change the trend.

    4. Continuation o the ProcessIndicators were dened which are unique to the

    conditions o the country and refect its specic

    problems and needs. Thus, or example, an indicator

    which depicts trends on open space in Israel, a

    country characterized by land scarcity, is o upmost

    importance. On the other hand, this indicator would

    be o low importance in land-rich and sparsely

    populated countries. Similarly, indicators which

    monitor basic conditions o well-being such as accessto drinking water and health services would be o

    high importance in the Third World but o lesser

    importance in wealthy countries in which the entire

    population enjoys such services.

    A major consideration in the rst phase o this project

    was the need to develop a methodology or an

    indicator system which is adapted to Israel's unique

    needs, both because o the lack o databases and

    due to the inappropriateness o some international

    indicators rom the Israeli perspective.

    Attention should now be ocused on preparing a

    long range plan or the development o an indicator

    system which would refect Israel's unique conditions.

    Israel's economy is likely to continue to grow over

    the next decades. Increased development pressures,

    depletion o land and water resources and damage

    to biodiversity present the risk o irreversible

    deterioration, at the expense o uture generations.

    This report recommends that completion o

    the databases or the indicators which describe

    environmental deterioration in all areas should be a

    top priority in the development o an indicator system

    or sustainable development in Israel.

    11

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    12/21

    1. Gross Domestic Product

    Gross domestic product (GDP) is dened as the

    total market value o all nal goods and services

    produced in a given period o time beore subtracting

    depreciation o capital stock and including net

    value added tax. GDP includes three components:expenditure or private and public consumption,

    gross investment (private and public) and net

    export o goods and services. GDP is an indication

    o the size o the economy, but in order to check the

    economic well-being o residents, GDP is divided

    by the total population to get an average value o

    GDP per capita. GDP per capita is generally used as a

    basis or comparison o standard o living in dierent

    economies.

    An analysis o GDP per capita in Israel between

    the years 1950 to 2005 shows an almost constant

    increase, with some periods o decline, largely due

    to social and political actors on the national and

    international levels. High GDP per capital is one o

    the basic conditions or sustainable development and

    constitutes an indicator o the personal economiclevel o individuals in society. However, while GDP

    per capita is a principal indicator o the capacity o

    an economy to manage processes o sustainable

    development, it does not identiy processes which

    contradict sustainable development principles.

    Additional environmental and social indicators

    would be needed to complement the ndings o this

    indicator. Alternatively, a green accounting system,

    such as the System o Environmental and Economic

    Accounts (SEEA) could be developed.

    II. INDICATORS

    FOR SUSTAINABLE

    DEVELOPMENT IN ISRAEL

    Figure 1: GDP per capita in Israel between 1950-2006

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    90,000

    80,000

    70,000

    60,000

    50,000

    40,000

    30,000

    20,000

    10,000

    0

    1950

    1952

    1954

    1956

    1958

    1960

    1962

    1964

    1966

    1968

    1970

    1972

    1974

    1976

    1978

    1980

    1982

    1984

    1986

    1988

    1990

    1992

    1994

    1996

    1998

    2000

    2002

    2004

    2006

    Calculation method until 1994 Calculation method since 1995

    12

    GDPpercapitainshekels

    Year

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    13/21

    2. Ratio o External Debt to GDP

    The external debt to GDP ratio refects the net debts

    o the economy, including current and accumulated

    debts, less assets. A growth in external debt signies

    that the economy consumes more than it produces

    and needs external sources. The external debt/GDPratio indicates an economy's ability to service its

    external debt and pay it back and also refects the

    economy's risk level.

    In Israel the external debt to GDP ratio declined until

    1961 and then increased until 1985. It grew rom

    only 10% in the late 1960s to 56% in 1984. The ratio

    declined somewhat to a level o 50% in 1991 and then

    gradually increased. In 2004, the ratio reached a new

    peak o 62%.

    In general, a higher ratio between external debt

    and GDP contradicts the principles o sustainable

    development. This is especially true when the

    debt is used or present consumption. However, i

    external debt is increased to help und development

    and investments, the sustainable development

    implications are not so clear-cut. Investments inthe present will also serve uture generations,

    even with the added debt. At the same time, the

    investments themselves should be analyzed, with the

    understanding that long-term investments would be

    the ones to benet uture generations.

    70

    60

    50

    40

    30

    20

    10

    0

    1970

    1972

    1974

    1976

    1978

    1980

    1982

    1984

    1986

    1988

    1990

    1992

    1994

    1996

    1998

    2000

    2002

    2004

    Figure 2: Ratio o External Debt to GDP

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    13

    Rateoexterna

    ldebttoGDP(%)

    Year

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    14/21

    3. Expenditure on Food out of the TotalIncome of Households (by Deciles)

    This indicator largely refects intragenerational

    equity and provides a partial picture o the gaps

    between dierent population groups. A household

    which expends most o its income on ood will haveless income to purchase goods and services such as

    education, culture and health. This may create a cycle

    o poverty which prevents equal opportunities or

    uture generations as well.

    In 2003, the rate o ood expenditure out o a

    household's total income in the lowest decile was

    52%, in the th decile 21% and in the top decile

    11%. Analysis o the changes in the rate o ood

    expenditure between 1992/93 and 2002/3 shows

    an average 20% reduction in ood expenditure, with

    higher expenditure in the lower decile. Trends reveal a

    growing gap in the rate o ood expenditure between

    the lower and higher deciles, testiying to the growth

    in income gaps and inequities between the deciles.

    These trends contradict one o the main goals o

    sustainable development - reducing intragenerational

    inequity.

    Figure 3: Rate o Expenditure on Food out o the Total Income by Income Deciles

    in the Years 1992/93, 2003

    1992/93 2003

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    Figure 4: Disposable Income ater Deducting Expenditure on Food or the Household,

    by Income Deciles, 2003

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    14

    5,000

    0

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

    1,345

    2,8663,655

    4,5665,738

    7,2828,608

    9,878

    12,368

    18,711

    10,000

    15,000

    20,000

    50

    40

    30

    20

    10

    0

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

    47

    52

    37 37

    3330 31

    2427

    2123

    1923

    1720

    1517

    1412 11

    (Highest)

    Rateoexpenditureon

    oodoutototalinc

    ome

    (Lowest)

    Decile

    Disposablehousholdincome

    (NIS)

    (Highest)(Lowest)

    Decile

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    15/21

    4. Motorization Rate Number oVehicles or 1,000 Inhabitants

    The motorization rate is dened as the number o

    passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants and is a common

    indicator in international comparisons o economic

    development and environmental issues. A highmotorization rate corresponds with a high level o

    economic development and quality o lie. On the

    other hand, increased numbers o cars are a burden

    on the environment associated with extensive use

    o energy sources, local and global air pollution, and

    development o road networks which encroach on

    public space and ragment natural habitats.

    Between 1951 and 2004, Israel's motorization rate

    increased rom 6 vehicles to 228 vehicles per 1,000

    residents. A 300% increase was noted between 1960

    and 1969 and a 111% increase between 1970 and

    1979.

    In terms o sustainable development, a high

    motorization rate is associated with air pollution

    in urban areas which is accompanied by extensive

    energy use, noise, urban heat island eect and roadcongestion as well as loss o open space as a result

    o road inrastructure development. The growth o

    suburbanization is also associated with increased

    use o private cars because o the inability o public

    transportation to service suburban residents. The

    success o a sustainable policy will largely be

    measured by its ability to divert a share o kilometers

    traveled in private vehicles to public transportation so

    as to diminish the burden on the environment.

    Figure 5: Motorization Rate in Israel between 1950-2004

    0

    1970

    1972

    1974

    1976

    1978

    1980

    1982

    1984

    1986

    1988

    1990

    1992

    1994

    1996

    1998

    2000

    2002

    2004

    1950

    1952

    1954

    1956

    1958

    1960

    1962

    1964

    1966

    1968

    50

    100

    150

    200

    250

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    15

    No.ovehic

    lesper1,0

    00inhabitants

    Year

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    16/21

    5. Car Ownership Levelsby Income Deciles

    The level o car ownership per income decile is an

    additional indicator o intragenerational inequity.

    Dierences in car ownership levels refect not only

    dierences in economic status but also dierences inaccess to opportunities and vital destinations.

    Car ownership levels in Israel dier substantially

    between income deciles. In 1986/7, only 8% o all

    households in the lowest income decile owned a

    car compared to 78% in the highest income decile.

    The rate o car ownership increased among all

    income deciles in the 1990s and early 2000s, with

    higher growth rates in the lower income deciles,

    which reduced this inequity. In 2003, 20% o the

    households in the lowest income decile owned a car

    in comparison to 90% in the highest income decile.

    Gap reduction in car ownership levels in the various

    income deciles is compatible with one o the main

    goals o sustainable development intragenerational

    equity since it increases equal opportunity and

    provides access to all areas o lie: employment, trade,residence, open space and more. However, increased

    car ownership and use also increase pressures on the

    environment. The orecast is or car ownership rates

    in the lower income deciles to rise and inequity to be

    reduced. This trend necessitates parallel activities to

    promote the use o public transportation and restrain,

    as much as possible, the use o private cars, largely

    through improved availability and reliability o public

    transport.

    Figure 6: Rate o Car Ownership by Deciles in Israel, in percentages, in 1986/87 and 2003

    50

    40

    30

    20

    10

    01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

    100

    90

    80

    70

    60

    1986/87 2003

    20

    8

    14

    33

    24

    36

    30

    46

    38

    54

    44

    54

    57

    73

    63

    73 74

    83

    78

    90

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    16

    Rateocarownership

    (Highest)(Lowest)

    Decile

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    17/21

    6. Lie Expectancy at Birth

    Lie expectancy at birth, dened as the average

    number o years that a person is expected to live, is

    an indicator or public health. It is also an accepted

    indirect indicator or the population's standard

    o living and its awareness o health promotion.

    In developed societies, the constant rise in lie

    expectancy is the result o a decline in inant mortality,

    reduction in inectious diseases and signicant

    reduction in degenerative diseases.

    In 2003, lie expectancy or women in Israel reached

    81.9 years (compared to 73.4 years in 1971) and

    or men 77.7 years (compared to 70.1 in 1971). Lie

    expectancy in Israel has increased steadily among

    both sexes, maintaining and even slightly expanding

    the gap between the sexes. One o the main

    consequences o the growth in lie expectancy is an

    increase in the adult population, which may be more

    exposed to chronic diseases and disability.

    Sustainable health ocuses both on the prevention odisease in the uture and on the promotion o health

    or the individual and society in the present. This

    approach complies with the target o "Health or All"

    which was declared by the World Health Organization

    in 1986. It emphasizes prolonging lie, improving

    health, increasing people's control over their health

    and achieving equity in health and health services.

    Figure 8: Inant Mortality in Israel, Rate per 1,000 Live Births, 1971-2003

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    Figure 7: Lie Expectancy by Sex and Diference in 1971-2003

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    Women Men Diference

    17

    40

    20

    0

    100

    80

    60

    1970

    2

    1

    0

    5

    4

    3

    1975 1974 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

    Lieexpectancyinyears

    Year

    20

    10

    0

    30

    1971 1975 1979 1983 1991 1995 1999 20031987Rateoinantmortalityper1,0

    00

    livebirths

    Year

    Diferenceinyears

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    18/21

    7. Energy Consumption

    Energy is the driving orce o the economic

    production system in every modern economy. A rise

    in energy consumption is an indicator o economic

    development and growth. However, increased energy

    consumption also has a negative external eect.

    It is associated with environmental deterioration,

    including greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution

    and natural resources depletion. The major challenge

    o sustainable development is to enable economic

    growth through gains in energy eciency, by means

    o such measures as conservation.

    Primary energy supply in Israel rose rom 5,000

    thousand tons o oil equivalent (TOE) in 1970 to

    20,000 in 2004, an annual increase o 4.16%. During

    the same period Israel's population grew rom 3

    million to 6.9 million an average annual increase

    o 2.48%. Thus the average increase in energy

    consumption per capita rose rom 1.7 TOE in 1970 to 3

    TOE in 2004, an average annual rise o 2%.

    Energy consumption is associated with increased

    use o non-renewable materials which diminish the

    natural resources available to uture generations.It also creates byproducts with negative external

    impacts air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions

    that threaten to damage the quality o lie o uture

    generations. Increased energy use is responsible

    or a rise in energy prices and is unequally divided

    among the dierent segments o the population. In

    addition energy consumption which is based on ossil

    uels increases Israel's dependence on imports and

    increases the national external debt, thus imposing an

    economic burden on uture generations.

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    Figure 9: Primary Energy Supply in Israel in 1970-2004

    Figure 10 : Energy Consumption per Capita in Israel in 1970-2004

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics

    18

    Year

    1970

    1971

    1972

    1973

    1974

    1975

    1976

    1977

    1978

    1979

    1980

    1981

    1982

    1983

    1984

    1985

    1986

    1987

    1988

    1989

    1990

    1991

    1992

    1993

    1994

    1995

    1996

    1997

    1998

    1999

    2000

    2001

    2002

    2003

    2004

    25,000

    20,000

    15,000

    10,000

    5,000

    0

    Tonso

    OilEquivalent(thousands)

    1.5

    1.7

    1.9

    2.1

    2.3

    2.5

    2.7

    2.9

    3.1

    3.3

    1970

    1972

    1974

    1976

    1978

    1980

    1982

    1984

    1986

    1988

    1990

    1992

    1994

    1996

    1998

    2000

    2002

    2004

    Year

    TonoOilEquivalent

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    19/21

    8. CO2

    Emissions

    Scientists have linked global warming and climate

    change to an increase in greenhouse gases in the

    atmosphere, and especially to an increase in carbon

    dioxide (CO2) concentrations. Global warming is now

    considered to be the primary environmental hazard,

    with impacts on both the economy and society. This

    indicator measures the level o CO2

    emissions per

    capita in Israel.

    Total emissions o CO2in Israel in 2003 were 63, 729

    tons, a 4% rise compared to 2000 and a 23% increase

    rom 1996. Emissions rom uel combustion account

    or 97% o the total emissions. CO2

    emissions per

    capita in Israel in the years 1996, 2000 and 2003 were

    9.12, 9.7 and 9.53 tons respectively. These statistics

    demonstrate a rise o 6% rom 1996 to 2000 and a

    decline o 2% rom 2000 to 2003. A sharp increase

    in CO2

    emissions was recorded in Israel in recent

    decades, which has been moderated since 1997. A

    similar trend characterized emissions per capita, with

    a moderate decline since 1999, reaching about 10 tons

    per capita in 2004.

    While Israel's contribution to total global emissions

    is small, its emissions per capita rank it relatively

    high among many developed Western countries.On the assumption that Israel's economic growth

    will continue in coming years, under a business as

    usual scenario, energy demand will concomitantly

    rise bringing in its wake increases in CO2

    emissions.

    This rise will continue as long as Israel uses ossil

    uels or energy production and transportation. A

    switch to natural gas use or electricity production

    and transportation, along with renewable energy

    development, energy eciency and conservation,

    may moderate or even reverse the trend o increasing

    levels o CO2

    emissions per capita.

    Figure 11: CO2

    Emissions rom Fuel Combustion Total and per Capita Emissions

    Source: Central Bureau o Statistics and Air Quality Division, Ministry o Environmental Protection

    19

    1980

    12

    10

    8

    6

    4

    2

    0

    80,000

    70,000

    60,000

    50,000

    40,000

    30,000

    20,000

    10,000

    01984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004

    Emissions per capita Total emissions

    Tonspercapita

    Year

    Tons

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    20/21

    9. Open Space per District

    Open spaces include natural, landscape and heritage

    values and serve as green lungs and recreation and

    leisure areas or Israel's population. Development

    pressures have reduced the quantity and quality o

    open spaces in Israel.

    In the ve year period between1998-2003, the largest

    area o open space was detracted rom the three

    districts which are characterized by the widest open

    expanses in Israel: the Central, Northern and Southern

    Districts. In the remaining districts, Haia, Tel Aviv and

    Jerusalem (which are more metropolitan in character),

    the open space area converted to built-up area was

    relatively limited. The largest area o open space to be

    converted to built-up space was in the Central District

    due to growing demand or building and the growth

    o suburbanization processes in the vicinity o the Tel

    Aviv metropolitan area.

    A decrease in the scope o open space threatens

    ecosystems, environmental health and the public's

    right to enjoy natural, landscape and heritage assets.

    Figure 12: Scope o Open Space (Dunam) Converted to Built Area in Each District

    between 1998-2003

    Figure 13: Percent o Open Space Converted to Built Space out o the Total District Area

    between 1998-2003

    Source: Moti Kaplan Regional and Environmental Planning

    Source: Moti Kaplan Regional and Environmental Planning

    20

    2,000

    0

    4,000

    6,000

    8,000

    10,000

    12,000

    14,000

    16,000

    North Haia Center Tel Aviv Jerusalem South

    Districts o Ministry o Interior

    Area(

    dunam)

    Scope o open space converted to built space

    0.2%

    0%

    0.4%

    0.6%

    0.8%

    1.0%

    1.2%

    1.4%

    0.24%

    0.48%

    1.15%

    0.85%

    0.37%

    0.05%

    0.24%

    North Haifa Center Tel Aviv Jerusalem South Total

    Districts o Ministry o Interior

    Percentototalarea

    odistrict

    Percent o open space converted to built space

  • 8/7/2019 Indicators for Sustainable Development in Israel - Second Phase. 2009

    21/21

    10. Salinity o Groundwaterin the Coastal Aquierand Mountain Aquier

    Salinity o groundwater indicates the quality o

    groundwater and reveals the state o Israel's main

    groundwater reservoirs. The indicator providesinormation about these water resources and their

    changes over time as a unction o water resource

    management including pumping, inltration to

    groundwater and land use above aquiers.

    There is no clear trend o change in water salinity

    in the mountain aquier and average chloride

    concentrations range between 130-164 mg/l. In the

    coastal aquier a clear trend o increased salinity has

    been recorded, with an average increase o 2 mg/l a

    year, rom 112 mg/l in 1957 to 198 mg/l in 2005.

    Water salinity increases due to the lowering o

    water levels and reduction o drainage to sea, the

    inltration o water which is more saline than the

    natural replenishment water, the use o ertilizersand pollutant accumulation in the soil and the range

    o activities which recycle water and bring about

    the increased salinity o irrigation waters and salt

    accumulation in the soil. Salinity, thereore, reduces

    the volume o renewable water which is at the

    disposal o the population and damages sensitive

    agricultural crops.

    Figure 14: Salinity o the Coastal Aquier and the Mountain Aquier, 1957-2005

    1955 1 960 1 965 1970 1980 1985 1990 20001975

    100

    120

    140

    160

    180

    200

    220

    20051995

    Source: Israel Water Authority

    21

    Salinity(mgcl/l)

    Year

    Trend line, Coastal aquierCoastal aquierMountain aquier