Science Insight: Drought, fires and breakthroughs: the environment in 2025 – Explained

The year 2025 was marked by mounting environmental challenges, from extreme climate events to global conservation crises and wars. Below is a month-by-month look at the most pressing environmental issues in Israel and around the world over the past year.

In early February, Israel’s Water Authority announced that the winter of 2025 was the driest in 100 years. The lack of rainfall harmed a variety of plant species that typically bloom during this month, including the Petra iris and anemones.

On the international stage, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to bring back single-use plastic straws. The battle over straws reflects a broader clash between political ideologies, but beyond politics, the oceans continue to fill with plastic waste.

The environmental situation in the Gaza Strip poses a direct threat not only to Gaza residents but also to Israel, particularly communities near the border and in the western Negev. Reports warned of the risk of disease outbreaks and severe contamination due to exposed bodies and the destruction of water and sewage infrastructure. In addition, sewage flowing into the sea could pollute Israel’s beaches and shut down Mediterranean desalination plants.

Alongside the smoke, emissions from the Orot Rabin power station in Hadera showed signs of improvement. Although it remains one of Israel’s most polluting power plants, a new study found that the installation of emissions-reduction systems significantly improved air quality in nearby communities.

Still, four of the plant’s six coal-fired units continue to operate without such systems. Despite technological advances, the optimal solution remains phasing out coal in favor of renewable energy. In Israel, that transition is delayed by bureaucracy, technological challenges, security considerations and economic interests.

In the same context, a study described geopolitical conflicts as a form of ‘mass climate attack’, accelerating global warming, generating massive greenhouse gas emissions, damaging green infrastructure and freezing regional cooperation such as the ‘electricity for water’ agreement with Jordan.

The Bazan facilities resumed operations after the missile strikes, but the debate over the urgent need for energy resilience remained. Strategies such as decentralizing the energy sector through millions of small solar systems and establishing independent power networks, or microgrids, could strengthen Israel’s energy resilience, but progress remains slow and hesitant.

Israel’s largest environmental event, the 53rd annual Science and Environment Conference, was held at Tel Aviv University. Key topics included the transition to decentralized renewable energy, the role of alternative proteins in global food security and the ‘One Health’ approach linking environmental and human health. President Isaac Herzog emphasized the close connection between the climate crisis and national security.

The heat waves that swept Israel underscored that the dry future long warned about has already arrived. A United Nations report cautioned that droughts lead to reduced food supplies, severe restrictions on electricity consumption and acute water shortages. In Israel, despite desalination, regions such as the Galilee and the Golan Heights that are not connected to the national water carrier experienced a roughly 30% decline in natural water sources this year.

A new report found that about one-fifth of Israeli households suffer from energy poverty, meaning they cannot afford to use electricity for basic needs, especially during extreme heat or cold. The most vulnerable populations include people living in poverty, the Arab and Bedouin communities, and the elderly.

A large international survey painted a troubling picture: only 42% of Israelis view the climate crisis as a serious threat, placing Israel near the bottom among 25 countries surveyed. Terrorism remains the primary perceived threat among Israelis.

Despite the low prioritization of climate risks, environmental action continues. An Israeli study demonstrated how environmental DNA methods enable noninvasive monitoring of rivers and streams. The approach identifies biodiversity, detects new invasive species such as aquarium fish in the Yarkon River, and significantly reduces reliance on traditional methods that harm fish and habitats.

During the annual shopping season, a new study challenged the ‘green’ reputation of secondhand clothing. The research found that buying used clothes often does not replace new purchases but adds to them, significantly reducing the environmental benefit. The researchers called for a focus on reducing overall consumption through a combination of education and regulation.

A new report revealed a complex picture behind one of Israeli agriculture’s main water sources: reclaimed wastewater. Although Israel is a global leader in wastewater reuse for agriculture, the report found that a significant portion of the water does not meet required standards.

It also showed that reclaimed water may contain various contaminants, including bacteria, viruses and pharmaceutical residues, which reach soil, water and the food chain. The report called for stronger real-time monitoring, consideration of restrictions on irrigating sensitive crops such as leafy greens, and treatment of pollutants at the source before they reach wastewater facilities.

In 2026, Israel and the world will need to deepen efforts to build climate resilience as extreme weather events become more frequent and geopolitical crises persist. Leveraging scientific knowledge, innovation and a commitment to the public good will be essential to adapting to a rapidly changing reality.

The article was prepared by Zavit, Israel’s science and environment news agency