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The Center for Local Sustainability (Life CBCSCIL) was founded in order to advance the capacity for sustainability in Israeli local government. The center is funded through a LIFE THIRD COUNTRIES Grant of the European Community.
The Center for Local Sustainability proposes to instigate large-scale capacity building in local governments in Israel by -
1. Recruiting, training and networking advocates, municipal professionals and mayors, to engage a critical mass of local governments in sustainable development
2. Developing state-of-the-art tools for local sustainability in municipal planning, management and legislation, in Hebrew and Arabic
3. Creating a support network by linking Israeli LA21 initiatives and connecting them to similar initiatives in other countries
We expect this project to convert sustainability from a curious buzzword to a legitimate organizing principle of local governments in Israel.
The Center is located in the Green Building in southern Tel Aviv, where 6 environmental organizations share office space and other resources.
Background
In 2003, the Israeli Government accepted a groundbreaking resolution to devise a National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development. The plan requires all government ministries to develop sustainable strategies in the relevant fields. Since 2001, scores of Israelis exposed to the ideas of local sustainability and citizen participation in local government have been enthusiastically seeking opportunities to join such projects. Unfortunately, a vast gap lies in the middle, between the policy drafted by the National Government and the eagerness of the citizens: the void should have been filled by local governments, leveraging all this good will into significant action. But as it turns out, local governments in Israel are severely lacking in funds, status and clout, and are therefore not in the position to push great initiatives.
The Center for Local Sustainability aims to realign the local government arena in Israel. By instigating awareness, developing tools, training and networking advocates, local government officials, architects, planners and mayors, coaching and nurturing pilot projects in the communities.
Our vision
We believe that Israeli people, with their diverse, multicultural background, encompassing many religions, Jews and Arabs, rich and poor - will begin – through their cities and villages – to care for the environment, for each other and for future generations. We are aiming for:
1. An increased level of sustainability awareness and practice in Israel through municipal policies and actions
2. Availability of new tools and strategies for promoting sustainability in different types of municipalities (including, for example, Arab, religious and mixed population)
3. Empowerment and improvement of local municipal management
4. Promotion - through sustainability principles - of peaceful coexistence among polarized social and cultural groups in Israeli society
5. A substantial number of cities and local authorities that engage in LA 21 processes and join the world network of LA 21 cities
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