The Steering Committee of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities' Climate Crisis Committee has approached the Minister of Environmental Protection and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, following reports indicating that discussions are taking place regarding the possibility that Israel will withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and additional international environmental frameworks. In its letter, the Committee expresses its deep concern regarding the possibility of withdrawal, and emphasizes that this is a move that could harm Israel scientifically, politically and publicly, and would disconnect it from vital knowledge and cooperation systems.
The full letter follows:
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To the Honorable
Ms. Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection
Mr. Gideon Sa'ar, Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Steering Committee of The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities' Climate Crisis Committe wishes to express its deep concern following media reports indicating that discussions are taking place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the possibility that Israel will withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and additional UN environmental frameworks (as well as from the World Health Organization, which deals with the impact of the climate crisis on human health).
To the best of our knowledge, no official decision has yet been made regarding Israel's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement or the Climate Convention, and no official notification has been delivered to the relevant international bodies.
Nevertheless, the very existence of discussions on this matter, as reported, raises serious public and scientific concern and justifies clear public clarification.
The Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change are not marginal or symbolic agreements.
They constitute the central international framework for dealing with climate change, and serve as the basis for scientific, technological, and economic cooperation among nations. Israel joined these of its own free will and should remain a party or should not withdraw from its international commitments.
Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and certainly from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change itself, would disconnect Israel from vital knowledge, coordination and monitoring mechanisms, and would damage its scientific and political standing.
Such a withdrawal would symbolize a complete disconnection from the international system for managing and understanding the climate crisis, including scientific forums, reporting systems, and access to important international collaborations in the areas of research, preparedness, and response. Unlike some larger countries, Israel is heavily dependent on close information exchange for climate forecasting needs.
Beyond the international implications, such a move could harm Israel.
Israel is already dealing with tangible climate challenges ̶ extreme heat loads, floods and droughts, damage to ecological systems, risks to public health and the economy, and damage to the operational readiness of the IDF. Weakening international commitment would send a wrong message to the public, the scientific community, and the younger generation, as if this is an issue that can be pushed to the margins.
Considering this, we call for:
• Clear public and unequivocal clarification that the State of Israel is committed to the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• A commitment that any possible discussion of such a fundamental policy change will take place with full transparency, including presentation of professional reasoning and involvement of the public and the scientific community.
• Strengthening and increasing Israel's involvement in UN environmental frameworks, especially during a period of global uncertainty.
The Steering Committee of of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities' Climate Crisis Committe is committed to making reliable scientific knowledge available to decision-makers and the public. We are at your disposal for any professional discussion on this matter, out of our responsibility to help guarantee the future of the State of Israel for future generations.
Respectfully,
The Steering Committee of the Israel National Academy of Sciences and Humanities' Climate Crisis Committe
Committee Members:
Prof. Dan Yakir, Weizmann Institute of Science, Committee Chair
Prof. Zvi Ben-Avraham, Tel Aviv University
Prof. Naama Goren-Inbar, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Prof. Nadav Davidovitch, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Prof. Yoav Yair, Reichman University
Prof. Yossi Loya, Tel Aviv University
Prof. Shlomit Paz, University of Haifa
Prof. Talia Fisher, Tel Aviv University
Prof. Dani Rabinowitz, Tel Aviv University
Prof. Danny Rosenfeld, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Prof. Eitan Sheshinski, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Copy to:
Mr. Yitzhak Herzog, President of the State
Dr. Dov Khenin, Chair of the Israeli Climate Forum under the President auspice