Regional Summer School

The Regional Summer School presented students at the Porter School of Environmental Studies with the opportunity to learn about environmental issues from an additional perspective: regional environmental sustainability in the Middle East. The program introduced students to the trans-boundary nature of environmental problems in the region, and emphasized the joint, integrated approach necessary for natural resource management.
Students participating in the program took part in a regional study tour, meeting with various experts – academic researchers, NGO representatives, governmental representatives, local officials and environmental activists – to learn about the cross-border environmental issues shared by Israel and its neighbors; how the regional conflict has affected the environment; and the possible role which the environment can play as a peacemaking tool in future negotiations.

The program was a collaborative effort between PSES and Columbia University’s Earth Institute and Middle East Research Center. It is expected to create a network of cooperation and a platform for discussing solutions to shared environmental challenges, resulting in practical policy and research papers.

* Watch a short video about the program.

Additional reading:

• The Environment as a Tool for Peace in the Middle East by Shahar Sadeh, Academic coordinator of the program; PhD Candidate at the Porter School of Environmental Studies, and Visiting Scholar at Columbia University's AC4 - Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (http://ac4.ei.columbia.edu/);
• Unpacking Preconceptions by Natalie Unwin-Kuruneri, the Earth Institute;
• Students Travel to Jordan and Israel to Learn About Environmental Issues by Natalie Unwin-Kuruneri, the Earth Institute.