Israel has dramatically reduced emissions of major air pollutants over the past quarter-century while struggling to keep pace with developed-world recycling standards, according to figures released Wednesday by the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics ahead of World Environment Day on Friday, TPS-IL reported.
Between 2000 and 2024, Israel cut sulfur dioxide emissions by 94%, suspended particulate matter by 88%, and nitrogen oxides by 71%. The improvements were driven primarily by cleaner electricity generation and reduced pollution from road transport. The shift away from coal toward natural gas for power production played a particularly significant role, as natural gas burns more cleanly and efficiently.
Total greenhouse gas emissions stood at 78.1 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 2024, a figure that has remained relatively stable over the past decade. On a per-capita basis, Israel emitted 8.03 tons of greenhouse gases in 2023, compared with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average of 10.44 tons.
Despite those gains, the data pointed to continuing challenges in waste management. Israel recycled just 25.3% of municipal waste in 2023, ranking 20th out of 22 OECD countries that reported figures, far below the bloc’s 57% average. Among Israel’s major cities, Bat Yam led recycling efforts in 2024 at 39.8%, compared with a national recycling rate of 24.4%.
Public satisfaction with environmental conditions also remains mixed. In 2025, roughly 28% of Israelis over 20 reported being bothered by air pollution in their neighborhood, while 33% said outdoor noise was a persistent problem.
Reflecting the scale of the challenge, government spending on environmental protection reached NIS 20.8 billion ($7.24 billion) in 2023, with waste management accounting for nearly 40% of the total.
