What Happens When the Middle East Gets Even Hotter? Israel’s Response to the Global Climate Crisis
Sun, September 19, 2021 10:00 AM at Online (Zoom)
Climate change is expected to be particularly severe in the Middle East. Israel and its neighbors
are already seeing statistically significant changes in the weather. This lecture constitutes a
briefing of the present situation and what changes are projected ahead. It will also consider
the geopolitical implications associated with extreme weather events, droughts and climate
refugees. While Israel for many years was slow in fielding a meaningful response to the climate
crisis, in response to the increasing manifestations and new signals about global norms coming
from Washington and the Biden administration -- this is starting to change. What can we expect
from the Israeli government policies as the world looks to the UN Climate Conference in Glasgow
and how does Israel’s new government differ from that of previous, Netanyahu cabinets
Dr. Alon Tal is a Serling Visiting Israeli Scholar teaching at James Madison College in MSU for the
seventh time during the Fall 2021 semester. Dr. Alon Tal [Sc.D., Harvard University; Ll.B., Hebrew
University] founded the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, a graduate studies center
in which students join Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian environmentalists to study common
environmental challenges and solutions. Dr. Tal founded and served as the co-chair of Israel’s
Green Party. He also established Adam Teva V’din, The Israel Union for Environmental Defense.
He is the author or editor of eleven books, including most recently a co-edited book, Climate
Change, Environment and National Security, A New Front (2021) and The Land Is Full: Addressing
Overpopulation in Israel, New Haven, Yale University Press, (2016).