Jerusalem, May 2 (IANS): Israel is unlikely to meet its 2030 climate goals set by the government, said an annual report issued by the country's Ministry of Environmental Protection .

The report stated that the current pace to reduce greenhouse gases would result in a reduction of only about 12 per cent in emissions by 2030 compared to the levels in 2015, much below the 27 per cent target, reports Xinhua news agency.

Failure to meet the climate goals will result in significant damage to the economy, health, energy security, the environment, and Israel's position in the world, it warned.

The reasons for the slow pace are significant delays in the reduction plans, and the severe lack of budgets for their implementation, it explained.

The report called on the government to immediately start a nationwide action to quickly close the gaps in order to meet the goals, especially the completion of climate legislation and the imposition of a carbon tax.