Local Sustainability Center
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About the Center:
The Center for Local Sustainability aims to advance the capacity for sustainability in Israeli local government by raising awareness and providing training, tools, and support networks for local government officials, advocates, architects, planners and mayors, to develop pilot projects in their communities.
Building capacity for change:
The Center for Local Sustainability proposes to instigate large-scale capacity building in local governments in Israel by:
- Recruiting, training and networking advocates, municipal professionals and mayors, to engage a critical mass of local governments in sustainable development
- Developing state-of-the-art tools for local sustainability in municipal planning, management and legislation.
- Creating a support network by linking Israeli Sustainable Development initiatives and connecting them to similar initiatives in other countries
Latest From the Center for Local Sustainability
- The Center for Local Sustainability continues its groundbreaking work, coaching municipalities on shifting development paradigms to sustainable ones. Last spring, the Heschel Center navigated the 20/20 initiative of the major cities of Israel, with the mayors of each city signing a declaration committing their cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by the year 2020. In addition to the climate and sustainable development actions, the Center for Local Sustainability is also developing new frameworks for local intervention:
- Zero Waste Initiative - in conjunction with other environmental NGO's and with the implementation of the dumping tax, the Center for Local Sustainability is developing and building the capacity for community Waste Actions.
- Local Economy Initiative - in partnership with the New Economics Foundation of England and Shatil, the Center is engaging a growing number of local community development organizations in Israel in various local initiatives. They are working to implement actions on the ground such as a local sustainability center and shop in Beer Sheva and a CSA initiative in the Galilee.
- Sustainable Communities Initiative - in partnership with the Gandir Foundation, the Center for Local Sustainability is working with the Shahaf communities in their efforts to shift towards sustainable community practices.
Life Project
The Center for Local Sustainability was founded in 2006 with the help of a 3-year grant from the EC's Life Third Countries program. While the Center will continue to pursue it's goals, the Life project concluded in 2009.
One major sucess of this project is the adoption of the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) campaign by 18 major cities in Israel, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Be'er Sheva. This historic event which took place on February 13th, 2009, is a resolution by these cities to reduce air pollution and green house gas emmisions by 20% by 2020.
Learn more about the CCP campaign and other major achievements of the Life Project.
The Center for Local Sustainability is leading the present environmental shift in the role of local government in Israel – for the well-being of urban areas and their residents. The center believes in fostering dialogue and cooperation, good will and shared initiative. Even if our generation will not appreciate these qualities, our children and grandchildren certainly will…
Eitan Atia, Director of the Forum of 15 Largest Cities in Israel
