Global warming – in Israel, too
Rising temperatures, coastal flooding and intense rain storms are forecast for Israel unless the government takes immediate steps to respond to global warming.
This is the message of IUED’s latest professional report “The Forecast is in Our Hands,” released July 5. Derived from the series of reports by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IUED's report presents two possible scenarios of global warming impacts in the Israeli context: ‘unchecked’ global warming based on ‘business as usual’ and ‘moderate’ global warming, should the international community makes a concerted effort to reduce impacts by opting for economic, social and environmental sustainability.
In the unchecked scenario, Israel can expect temperature rises of over 3.3 degrees Celsius, frequent heatwaves and intense bouts of heavy rain storms while suffering an overall decrease in rainfall of between 20-30%.
The report brings the message home with a series of maps (widely replicated in local media) showing the Mediterranean covering Tel Aviv's beachfront and parts of Haifa port and bay area.
Time for action
“There is a window of opportunity over the next decade for the world to adapt to climate change,” notes Tzipi Iser Itzik, IUED director. “If the government chooses a firm course of adaptive measures, Israel can help avoid the worst impacts of global warming – and even benefit from new technological and economic opportunities.”
The report also details policy recommendations that Israel could follow such committing to the European Union goal of reducing carbon emissions by 20% by 2020.
At IUED’s press conference launching the report, Professor Dan Yakir, one of Israel’s most prominent environmental scientists, commented that Israel can not afford to sit back and let the rest of the world tackling global warming. “Israel has the know-how to contribute to solutions to climate change. At this point, it’s an ethical decision.”
Everyone can do something - actcool.org.il
In parallel, IUED has launched a public information campaign via a new web site: actcool.org.il which presents global warming information and urges every one of us to take steps to reduce our own contributions to global warming.
Irit Lechter, campaign coordinator, explained that the site’s slogan “Spare a Minute, Save a Generation” emphasizes that each one of us can easily adapt in our daily lives to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The site explains global warming issues and offers tips on how to ‘act cool' and new ideas, personal stories, events and activities will be added as the campaign grows, adds Lechter. Visitors to the site (in Hebrew only at the present time) can also calculate their own carbon emissions.
IUED is also participating in the global Live Earth event raising awareness of climate change, being marked in Israel by live broadcasts in Rabin Square, Tel Aviv (July 7).