Installation of an environmental officer in the Jewish Agency

The officer would have the authority to review the ecological implications of all Zionist-funded activities. The Jewish Agency would be required to take steps to improve its own environmental impact by creating tougher emission standards for all official vehicles.

Require full environmental-impact statements for new Zionist-funded projects

Impact statements will force the Jewish Agency and Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael / Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) to look seriously at the implications of their plans and help the agencies find ways to mitigate their direct impact on the environment and minimize many of the currently unconsidered negative externalities related to their actions.

Work with KKL-JNF to create policies requiring sustainable development within Israel

In order to save Israel’s natural beauty and at the same time ensure the health of the Israeli public, KKL-JNF must incorporate practices that:

• preserve open spaces;
• restore natural ecosystems;
• protect threatened species;
• confront the looming water crisis;
• promote river restoration;
• reduce pesticide use;
• and create an open and democratic forum for the decision-making process regarding forestry management and other environmental initiatives.

Reduce Israel’s air pollution, asthma levels and oil dependency

Work proactively to adopt strict fuel-economy and emissions standards that decrease Israel's oil dependence and air-pollution levels. Increase the availability and use of public transportation, thereby increasing the safety of Israeli roads, and eliminating the need for future highway construction.

Require that all official vehicles driven by Jewish Agency and Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael / Jewish National Fund workers meet tough emission standards

This is similar to a policy adopted by the Tel Aviv city government.

Israel-Diaspora person-to-person and government-to-government environmental initiatives

Support the passage of United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act (H. R. 2730). “To establish a grant program to fund eligible joint ventures between United States and Israeli businesses and academic persons, to establish the International Energy Advisory Board, and for other purposes.” Support grassroots and community initiatives that connect children, professionals and the general public in Israel with contemporaries in the Diaspora over environmental and ecological concerns.

Encourage all educational institutions funded by the Zionist movement to integrate ecological education topics into their curricula and programs.

Work collaboratively with neighbors to solve environmental issues

Environmental issues are not confined to political or social borders. We support peace initiatives and collaborations that are essential in solving regional environmental and social problems. As peace in the Middle East moves nearer to fruition, Israel must stand as a regional leader for environmental protection. By deliberating on environmental issues with her neighbors, Israel will begin to form close working relationships with countries in the region and promote peace with Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinians.

Work toward a permanent and equitable solution to environmental-justice concerns

We will work with under-represented communities, including those in the geographic peripheries, the inner-cities, and among the Israeli Arab and Israeli Bedouin communities to find solutions to their environmental concerns.

Click here to see the GZA 2010 platform for the 36th World Zionist Congress.

Click here to see the GZA 2002 platform for the 34th World Zionist Congress.