The upcoming elections, even if it is the fifth time in three years, can be seen as a positive opportunity for the citizens as well as for the leaders, who should and even must take advantage of it.
Instead of a discourse of "right", "left", "center", one should focus on what is important - on leadership that will work for the future of humanity in the deepest and most important sense of the word.
The next leadership must make the fight against climate change and environmental damage a priority.
Huge fires are raging in Europe and the heavy heat waves are taking their toll, the time is pressing and there is no more important task.
The climate discourse is not the preserve of fringe groups.
In a survey we recently conducted with the Geocartography Institute, we found that 66% of the public think that the government is not doing enough to address the issue, 61% of Israelis are concerned about the impact of the crisis on human society, and almost 70% consider the government and the people responsible for addressing the issue.
The public, it seems, recognized the magnitude of the hour.
Now it's the turn of the leaders.
Thoughtful
production
methods
One of the claims heard in the discourse, even if on its margins, is that Israel should not take steps to reduce pollution because it is a small economy, which is responsible for a small part of the emissions of pollutants in the world.
This is a mistake for two main reasons.
The first is that Israel is indeed a small country, but in terms of emissions per capita it is in a bad place in the middle - that is, it produces pollution like much larger countries.
In fact, according to European Union data, Israel is ahead of much larger countries such as Italy and Turkey in terms of per capita emissions.
Second, even if Israeli policy has a marginal effect on global warming, this is no reason to do nothing.
Many countries are in a similar situation, and if no one accepts responsibility and just expects other countries to act - we will never win the fight.
Also, the citizens of Israel deserve clean air, clear seas and a higher quality of life.
That's what needs to be done.
so what are we doing?
Everything possible.
It is possible to support the development of innovative and green technologies, to encourage the industry to switch to thoughtful production methods, to give benefits and tax breaks to those who prefer to purchase green products, to mark consumer products with the label "environmentally friendly product", to encourage green construction, and perhaps most importantly - environmental education from preschool age.
There is a lot to do and a lot of tools in the box.
The leaders who adopt the green agenda will gain a huge audience of voters, which nobody is talking to today.
If the upcoming elections in Israel will also deal, even a little, with the issue of the climate, then despite everything it might still be worth it.
The writer is CEO of Beko Israel
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