Advocacy

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The Sustainable Jerusalem Lobby

The Sustainable Jerusalem Lobby, launched in January 2018, is an initiative of the Jerusalem Green Fund.

The shared vision for a more sustainable Jerusalem, will provide the basis for new groups to join the lobby as we move forward. By generating a groundswell of public support for our agenda, we aim to have a positive impact on the Mayor and on policy-making in the Jerusalem City Council.

The Mayor of Jerusalem meets with members of the SJL every three months. Each meeting is dedicated to a specific environmental concern for the city.

Examples of topics that have been discussed are waste management in the city, conservation of local trees, climate change.

As a result of our regular meetings with the Mayor, he has now requested the SJL to write and submit recommendations for "Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change."

The potential members of the lobby are community centers, organizations, institutions, businesses and individuals that identify with the need to join forces in order to achieve the following goals.

Thus far Muslala, The Hub (at the Botanical Gardens), the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, SPNI, Green Course, Kayamuta, the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, Ramot for the Environment, Bikes for Jerusalem, Zero Waste Jerusalem, The Nahal Tsofim Action Committee, Mahapach Yarok, Guardians of the Trees, Ayana, PeopleBroadcasting, the David Yellin College, the Nisui School, the Reishit School, and the community centers of Ganim, Baka, Romema, Ramot, Yuvalim, Armon HaNatsiv and Tsur Baher have joined us as strategic partners, and the meetings of the lobby have attracted a wide variety of community activists.

OUR GOALS

Work together to create a vision for Jerusalem inspired by the Sustainable Jerusalem Charter (originally published in 1998).
Place the agenda of urban sustainability firmly on the public map, as an essential ingredient for a cleaner, greener, and healthier Jerusalem.
Before municipal elections: interviews were held with mayoral candidates, asking for their commitment to sustainable development policies that have not yet been sufficiently pursued by the municipality and its leadership. Candidates were graded according to their responses. During their term of office, the lobby is following the Mayor’s track record.
Bring important Jerusalem issues to the attention of Knesset committees, and other relevant forums.
Generate serious media coverage of the issues raised by the lobby.
Before municipal elections: the public and lobby members were invited to a series of panel discussions where candidates for office were given the opportunity to express their support for the Sustainable Jerusalem Lobby’s agenda.
Invite new organizations to become active members of the SJL.