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Of Symptoms and Causes

This article by Prof. Alon Tal explores the antecedents of Israel's environmental challenges, including air and water pollution, climate change, and the need for sustainability. It also discusses the impact of human activities on the environment and presents potential solutions.

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Of Symptoms and Causes

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

  2. ISRAEL

  3. Milk and Honey or Pollution and Toxics

  4. Geometric Population Growth \

  5. Ministry of Environment Budget 2002-2004 (in millions of shekels)

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

  10. Water Quality - Coastal Aquifer (Israel Hydrological Service 1999) Tel Aviv Tel Aviv WHO - Cl – < 250 ppm Israel Average 1998 190 ppm WHO - NO3- < 45 ppm Israel Average 1998 = 58 ppm Gaza Gaza

  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 2020 1990

  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. Drylands Index humid dry sub-humid semi-arid Hyper-arid Hyper-arid 700 מ"מ Shifting rainfall gradient 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. Climate Change Scenarios for Israel 5 cm. increase in sea level

  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, 2003A 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. Some good news: Drip Irrigation 40

  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 50th 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

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