The Environment and Sustainability Research Center at the Open University of Israel

The Center was established in 2023 with the support of the Beracha Foundation, in response to the current ecological and climate crisis. We undertake innovative interdisciplinary research in the areas of urban sustainability and green and smart urbanism. Our goal is to serve as an incubator for researchers from a wide range of disciplines, undertaking applied policy relevant research, which supports quality environmental policy in Israel, with an emphasis on the urban environment.

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What is our challenge? What is our mission? And how do we operate?

Cities will bear significant responsibility for sustainability as they are expected to accommodate about two-thirds of the world's population, numbering no less than 6.5 billion inhabitants, by the year 2050. In order to confront these challenges, cities must harness the potential of emerging technologies and human creativity to address future urban challenges. Growing acknowledgment of the importance of future urban planning, and the risks associated with inadequate planning, make the formulation of urban sustainability policies an urgent imperative

In Israel, the dense construction of high-rise towers with minimal green spaces between them, inadequate local services, traffic congestion on city roads and escalating air pollution are but a few of the business as usual scenarios that await our cities. In 2020, over 90% of the country's population resided in urban areas. by 2065, this figure is projected to increase to an overwhelming 95%.

The primary objective of the Environment and Sustainability Research Center is serve as a force in driving scientific and research endeavors that will catalyze transformative processes within local urban government and inform data-driven planning and policies. The Center's research offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to intricate environmental and urban challenges.

Looking to the foreseeable future, collaborative efforts across all stakeholders will hold the key to addressing impending urban challenges that may pose a risk to the quality of life of each and every resident, including urban density, climate change adaptation and dwindling green spaces. Achieving desirable urban conditions lies within our grasp. To this end, we are committed to equipping decision makers, both local and national and civil society activists with the knowledge and tools necessary to transition from the current reality in Israeli cities to a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly future.

The choice of the desired urban future is in our hands.

To this end, we will work to provide the knowledge and tools to transition from the existing reality in Israel's cities to a much more sustainable and greener future.