Today (11/16), as part of the Israeli pavilion at the climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the Israeli delegation – led by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Society for the Protection of Nature – hosted an event on the restoration of ecosystems and the preservation of biological diversity, with the participation of Israeli representatives and international experts.
Tamar Raviv, Head of the Biodiversity and Open Areas Division at the Ministry of Environmental Protection opened the event by presenting the close connection between the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis and the urgent need to preserve ecosystems through their restoration and the creation of a natural environment “from scratch” (rewilding). It also issued a call to tighten the cooperation between the public sector, the business sector and civil society to find nature-based solutions that will help in dealing with climate change.
Tamar RavivHead of the Biodiversity and Open Spaces Division at the Ministry of Environmental Protection: “The climate crisis is present in our lives and affects us and the ecosystems. Many times, protecting and preserving the existing nature is no longer enough. We must put emphasis not only on advanced technologies and engineering solutions but also on nature-based solutions which will become more and more essential for our survival and in the fight against the climate crisis.”
Yael Zilbacherstein-BarzidaDirector of the Urban Nature Surveys Unit at the Society for the Protection of Nature: “In order to stop the damage to natural systems and the accompanying loss of species, it is necessary to act as soon as possible to restore natural systems and protect important natural areas.
“Many countries and organizations present at the international conference in Sharm an important agenda for adapting to the global climate crisis, and there is no doubt that the crisis of natural systems is inextricably linked and involved in it. In order to reach a situation where in 2030 the damage to natural systems will stop and the loss of species accompanying them will stop, a situation Known in the world as “nature zero”, it is necessary to act as soon as possible to restore natural systems in Israel, both in the urban and rural environment, while protecting important natural areas, at the local and regional level. We all hope that starting in 2030 we will be able to reset the prolonged damage of the last century and move to the restoration of nature, In such a way that the balance of restoration of the species will be positive and not negative, as it is today.”
At the event, Dr. Bertrand Picard, the president and founder of the Solar Impulse Foundation, who also serves as UNEP’s Goodwill Ambassador, also spoke. Dr. Picard presented the topic of economic benefits from nature-based solutions, after which Jörg Angers Krueger, the founder of NABU, presented examples of restoration projects Teva in Germany that help deal with climate change.
The guests also heard about case studies for the restoration and preservation of biological diversity in Israel in the age of the climate crisis: the restoration of the Eilat salt marsh and its contribution to the global migration axis, Dr. Hanan Ginat, head of the Eilot Regional Council; Ecologically) the fishpond in Kfar Rupin, Assaf Zanzuri, the Society for the Protection of Nature; Emek al-Em’adim Park in Jerusalem, Miri Reiss, the Municipality of Jerusalem; the promotion of urban nature policy by the Society for the Protection of Nature, Amir Laban, the Society for the Protection of Nature.
The event concluded with a panel led by Dr. Neta Lipman, Senior Vice President for Natural Resources and Resilience and Climate at the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The event was a fertile ground for learning and knowledge sharing between Israeli experts and experts from around the world who will help promote successful practical solutions both in Israel and in the world.
In many densely populated countries, natural areas are becoming limited, fragmented and threatened by housing development, infrastructure and agriculture in many cases. And in an era of climate crisis, protecting nature and preserving the existing are no longer enough, and the restoration of ecosystems such as winter pools, salt marshes and streams are becoming more and more essential.
This event aims to demonstrate how ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions support climate change risk reduction efforts and the ability to prepare for them and strengthen biodiversity. Restoring disturbed natural areas or open areas can prevent the loss of biological diversity and even improve natural phenomena such as bird migration. Restoration is not enough, and there is a need to create a natural environment almost anew in order to support the preservation and restoration of the Israeli and global ecosystem. These actions have many benefits both in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in terms of preparing for climate events and reducing damage to life and property.