Jewish Perspectives on Sustainable Economies
DEVELOPMENT, TRADE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT cont.

The JCPA urges the Administration to take a leadership role in ensuring that international institutions, including the World Trade Organization and the World Bank, actively work to protect the global environment.

In October 1999, world population reached six billion. The population has doubled in less than 30 years, and is expected to rise to 12 billion in the middle of the 21st century. The projected increase in population will place unprecedented pressure on global ecological systems and basic natural resources already near or beyond the limit of sustainable use. The rapid adoption of low impact technologies, particularly in the developing world, is critical to the minimization of irreversible ecological damage, which is already underway in many places around the world. Population planning and economic aid to developing nations are a priority for the future well-being of all of Earth's inhabitants; therefore, the U.S. continues to undermine its own self-interest by not providing substantial aid to developing nations.

In December 1999, leaders and activists from 135 nations gathered in Seattle for the meetings of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO has been widely criticized, both internally and externally, for not adopting measures which would advance environmental protection and protection of working women and men. The WTO consistently has ruled against environmental regulations, including those of both the United States and Europe, categorizing them as "barriers to trade." The debate over the desirability and practicality of international environmental and labor standards is likely to intensify.

ISRAEL'S ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE

The JCPA calls on the Israeli government to address the rapidly deteriorating environmental conditions in Israel.

Pollution and the depletion of natural resources in Israel threaten public health, future economic viability, and regional stability. Most rivers and streams in Israel are polluted, and many municipalities have no sewage treatment. Water consumption already exceeds total available resources in Israel, and allocation of scare water resources remains a major issue in the Peace Process. A doubling of both electricity use and the number of cars on the road since 1990 has led to dangerous levels of air pollution now being blamed for increasing respiratory illness. Open space is disappearing at an alarming rate as suburban developments and new roads — including the controversial Trans-Israel Highway — are built. Minister of Environment Dalia Itzik is facing these daunting challenges with grossly insufficient resources, and existing transportation and development plans are likely to worsen the current situation. Though progress has been slow, the government has begun to tackle Israel's environmental challenges. A growing number of grassroots environmental groups are organizing in response to these circumstances, and Tel Aviv University has established Israel's first school of Environmental Studies. The organized Jewish community has an opportunity to help Israel benefit from the substantial environmental expertise of the U.S. — through continued support and further development of cooperative projects between the Israeli and U.S. governments and by involving American Jews in volunteering their environmental expertise to Israeli governments, NGOs, and businesses. The Palestinian Authority and neighboring countries are also called upon to remedy environmental challenges that impact the entire region.