Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur and environment reporter Sue Surkes join host Anne Gordon on today's episode.

With some prices rising and others (oddly) falling, Rettig Gur explains not only the cost of living in Israel, but also why it has been unchangingly high for decades. Hint: It's not because of COVID-19-interrupted supply chains or Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Surkes updates us on the efforts to reduce carbon globally by taking it out of the air and trading it for forest growth and other plants that absorb carbon. She also outlines a proposal to turn one of Jerusalem's thoroughfares into a slower road with an environmentally pleasing park.

Discussed articles include:

Dairy and electricity prices go up as gas, public transportation costs drop 

Amid outcry, major importer freezes price hikes until after the Jewish holidays

Israel to ease rules on imports of goods to boost competition, reduce cost of living

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IMAGE: Part of the plan for greening Jerusalem's Hebron Road. (courtesy, Yossi Saidov)