Isra-Tech | april 2023

Dan Catarivas C limate change and global warming have become a reality happening much faster than all predicted scenarios and are recognized as an all- encompassing threat to the global economy and humanity. Unprecedented and drastic actions are required to win the race against the impending climate crisis. A major part of the response is the implementation of innovative climate technologies. Many of these technologies are still in their early stage of development, far from deployment. The Israeli Climate Tech industry was born in the 1950 s and 60 s, in a young nation with minimal freshwater resources, a desert climate and few natural energy resources. Israel confronted these challenges with innovations that include water-saving drip irrigation, precision agriculture, greenhouses and solar-powered water heaters. A World Bank Policy Research Working Paper noted: “Israeli farmers have consequently been able to shape their agricultural system to suit the climate of their country and take advantage of heat rather than be a victim of it”. It’s that Israeli spirit of innovation – the ability to adapt and thrive in adverse circumstances – that the world needs for climate change management. Israeli climate tech includes companies that engage in technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or work to mitigate global warming and adapt to climate change. In terms of the overall high-tech ecosystem in Israel, climate tech is grabbingmore of the market share with one out of every seven startups from the climate- tech field – an increase from 9 per cent to 25 per cent in one year. In the first half of 2022 , 15 per cent of the total Israel becoming a Team Player in Innovating Green Technologies Since the signing of the Abraham Accords, Israel now can cooperate and collaborate with its neighbouring countries on the common challenges of climate change | Dan Catarivas high-tech investments went to climate tech (nearly $ 1 . 5 billion), a 50 per cent increase over the previous year. There is no question that the impact and the operation of climate-tech companies cannot and should not be limited by political borders. Climate change is a cross border problem that requires cooperation of all countries worldwide with an emphasis on collaboration between neighbouring countries. International cooperation is necessary in order to confront climate change. In the case of Israel, which for many years was, as one of our prime ministers said, “a villa in the jungle” i.e. a kind of island with limited ties with its immediate neighbours, it is an especially challenging task. But since the signing of theAbrahams Accords, Israel is now becoming an integrated part of the region. Not an isolated “villa” anymore but an “apartment in a condominium”, with the possibility of cooperating and collaborating with its neighbouring countries on common challenges of climate change. Ameeting, at the UN’s COP 27 climate conference in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, brought together for the first time-ever politicians from Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, the Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait and the Palestinian Authority. The meeting was called by the presidents of Egypt and Cyprus and was attended not only by politicians but also by a large number of Arab and international officials. It was Israel’s Environmental Protection minister who attended this regional meeting at the Global Climate Conference where the group pledged to work together to tackle climate change. This is indeed a very good sign of possible future regional cooperation where Israel can play a major productive role. Dan Catarivas is the President of Israeli Federation of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce and Industry 34 Climate Tech Isra-Tech Israeli Technologies Magazine April 2023 Climate Change Management