Environmental Policy and Tools for Implementation

Environmental policy has evolved in Israel as elsewhere around the world since the 1970s with increasing awareness and concern about pollution, wastes, public health and ecological habitats. The Jerusalem Institute, with the support and special interest of the Rebson foundation, has contributed to building an understanding of environmental issues among policy makers, to identifying indicators of environmental quality, to the formulation and assessment of alternative policy options and to finding instruments for their implementation.

Early research supported or initiated by the Institute focused on particular issues, a legal approach or a methodological concept, bringing global knowledge and expertise into an Israeli context as well as contributing innovative thinking to the environmental dialogue. Later research was targeted at policy makers in Israel in central and local government and its impacts can be seen in changing policies and tools and decision making in public administration concerning the environment. Outcomes can be seen in government decisions and in policies adopted by local authorities. Particular attention relates to environmental issues in land use or spatial planning, liability and compliance, environmental indicators, risk management, environmental negotiations and conflict management. Flagship projects concerning the environment are presented in separate project pages (Environmental Resources, Coastal cliff, Dead Sea, Sustainability 2030 and Urban Sustainability)