In partnership with the President of the State of Israel, in January 2022, L&E has launched a first of its kind forum that will focus on climate change, intended to lead the way for cross-sectoral discourse and action regarding the climate crisis, as well as Israel’s role in responding to it. The establishment of the forum marks the State’s commitment to situate itself at the forefront of the global debate on the climate crisis.
Led by President Isaac Herzog and Dov Khenin of L&E, the Forum will expand, deepen, and strengthen the knowledge, on the climate crisis and its entailed challenges, and will strive to find viable solutions; Encourage initiatives and implementation of cross-sectoral projects in the field; And create influence and awareness of the issue among decision-makers and citizens of the State of Israel.
The Forum will not only serve as an advising body to the President, who will advocate for change to government, but also situate climate-change as a burning issue in the Israeli public discourse and will provide a platform for establishing relationships with unaffiliated Jewish communities worldwide, based on a common call-to-action in the field of climate-change.
The President acts as president of the Forum, which includes representatives from the President’s House, the Government, the Knesset, local government, academia, and civil society organizations operating in the field (approximately 180 members all together).
During its first year of operation, the Forum will operate working groups, which will hold discussions and prepare position papers on the climate crisis. The forum will hold 2-4 plenary conferences each year, where discussions on the climate crisis will be held and position papers prepared by the working groups will be presented. Additionally, the Forum will convene in places of interest in the periphery of Israel: in the Galilee (for example, in the Sakhnin Environmental Cities Association) and in the Negev (for example, the Ben Gurion College in Sde Boker).