Top Five Projects: School for Environment & Sustainability
The Need
The boundaries of our planet’s life-supporting systems, such as land, water, the carbon cycle and biodiversity, have been pushed to their very limits – or are very near to that point – thereby posing a threat to human existence. At the same time, the impact of climate change is evident through acute physical changes such as the increasing rate of extreme weather events, as well as chronic increases in sea levels and global temperatures. These changes are already affecting agriculture, health, water quality, overall ecosystems and human wellbeing worldwide. Vulnerable communities are often the first to suffer, with market forces often neglecting their needs.
Such challenges have prompted Israel to accelerate its efforts to address them through a methodical and systematic approach at the local and national levels. Yet, while academic knowledge of the human impact on the environment has been growing for years, it often remains siloed and lacks translation into solutions and policy action. There is an urgent need to collaborate across sectors and disciplines to address these challenges in time.
With a substantial infusion of funding and a concerted, robust approach, TAU is well-positioned to become a leading hub, nationally and internationally, and to make a positive tangible impact on the environment and society as a whole. It is in this context that TAU seeks to establish the School for Environment & Sustainability.
Overview
The School’s vision will be to elevate, coordinate, streamline and dramatically enhance the extensive array of research and teaching activities taking place in units across campus, with a view to serving as a dynamic research hub for state-of-the-art, creative and viable solutions that contribute to policymaking and foster sustainability in Israel and globally.
To achieve this vision, the School will pursue the following goals:
- Promote excellence in basic and applied research in the field of environmental adaptation to global changes
- Train the next generation of professional and academic experts in the field
- Share scientific findings with academia, educators, policymakers and the general public
- Develop platforms, knowledge and tools for evidence-based decision-making at local, national and global levels
To transition the world toward a more sustainable future in the face of global changes, the School’s inaugural five-year research agenda will be dedicated to addressing the pressing challenges of the climate crisis.
