Jerusalem, 4 June, 2026 (TPS-IL) — For the occasion of World Environment Day, to Be observed Friday, June 5, Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics presented a selection of data on the subject.
In the years 2000-2024, downward trends were observed in emissions of these air pollutants: sulfur dioxide – a decrease of 94%, particulate matter – 88%, lead – 87%, nitrogen oxides – 71%, carbon monoxide – 66%, and hydrocarbons – 49%. The Decrease in these emissions was generated in two main sectors – electricity generation and land transportation.
Total greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 were 78.1 million tons (in terms of carbon dioxide – CO2). The past decade has been relatively stable with slight increases and decreases over the years, mainly due to changes in the fuel mix used for electricity generation and the transition to the use of natural gas.
Since 2008, there has been a continuous increase in emissions of fluorine-containing gases (150.9%) and greenhouse gas emissions from landfilling (33.7%), which are mainly used for cooling and air conditioning.
In 2025, 28.4% of people aged 20 and over were bothered by air pollution in their area of residence, and 33% were bothered by noise outside the apartment.
Environmental protection spending in 2023 in the public sector amounted to NIS 20.8 billion.
In 2024, 6.38 million tons of waste were collected in local authorities in Israel (645 kg per capita per year). The percentage of waste in local authorities that was recycled in 2024 was 24.4% – approximately 1.6 million tons, of which 263.7 thousand tons were paper, newspaper and cardboard and 636.7 thousand tons of organic material (mostly organic waste that was pre-treated for stabilization and volume reduction before landfilling).
In 2023, Israel ranked 20th out of 22 OECD countries that reported municipal waste recycling. The percentage of waste in Israeli local authorities that was recycled that year was 25.3%, compared to an average of 57.0% in OECD countries.
World Environment Day is the United Nations Day for “encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment.”