David Songulashvili Meets Israeli Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman
David Songulashvili, Minister of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia, met with Idit Silman during his working visit to the State of Israel.
During the meeting, the parties focused on the challenges posed by climate change, which affect the social, economic, and security sectors of all countries. In this context, international cooperation was highlighted as particularly important.
David Songulashvili emphasized the ongoing reforms in Georgia aimed at strengthening environmental governance, improving climate resilience, and accelerating the transition to a sustainable, low-emission economy.
“We are implementing policies that align with our national commitments, strengthen air quality management, expand protected areas, and modernize waste management,” said the Georgian Minister of Environment and Agriculture.
David Songulashvili also highlighted several areas for strengthening cooperation with Israel in the environmental field, with particular emphasis on the rational management of water resources. He spoke about the reform process of Georgia’s national water resources management system, which is based on international best practices and is important for policy exchange between the ministries of the two countries, especially in terms of cooperation between relevant agencies. The Minister also discussed ongoing reforms in Georgia aimed at reducing waste and noted that a newly adopted regulation, which will enter into force on January 1, 2026, prohibits the use of certain plastic items that come into contact with food, in order to mitigate the harmful impact of plastic.
“We are striving to promote alternatives that offer more environmentally friendly solutions. Israel’s experience is advanced in recycling technologies, waste-to-energy systems, and circular economy policies,” David Songulashvili stated.
The Georgian Minister also addressed Georgia’s policy on the management of protected areas, noting that there are 100 protected areas across the country, covering 13% of Georgia’s territory. According to him, cooperation between Georgia’s Protected Areas Agency and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority will contribute to the development of sustainable tourism between the two countries.
Israeli Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman thanked David Songulashvili for the visit and noted the great importance of strengthening close partnership relations between the two countries. She emphasized that cooperation contributes to the effective implementation of global environmental policies, especially in the context of climate change challenges.
