JERUSALEM: On Sunday, January 23, the cabinet of the Government of Israel approved a bold plan to plant 450,000 trees in urban areas to provide shade and help cool temperatures as climate change takes effect. The goal is to achieve it between now and 2040, at a cost of NIS 2.25 billion ($716 million). The trees will be planted along 30,000 kilometers (18,640 miles) of road, with approximately 150 trees planted per kilometer.
Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett, Environment Minister Tamar Zandberg, and Agriculture Minister Oded Forer presented the plan to the cabinet. The Israeli government has made climate change, a national priority. Bennett stated that more than 90 per cent of the country’s population lives in cities, and hotter the weather becomes, the more difficult it will be to move around outside. That is why they are planning to plant half a million trees along the roads in cities where residents walk. He added that tree shade significantly improves street temperature while also helping to improve air quality and absorb intense downpours of rain.
Zandberg stated that cities needed more shade, trees, and nature-based solutions to deal with climate change, and that a government decision was needed to ensure that urban planning adapted to changing climatic conditions. According to Forer, the plan will accomplish two goals: environmental protection and urban space improvement.