Building bridges with Local Authorities
L&E works closely with local authorities to ensure that national environmental policies are effectively implemented at the municipal level, where the most direct impacts on communities occur. Local authorities are often key players in enacting and managing environmental initiatives, making their engagement essential for translating broader policies into actionable, localized solutions.
Local Environmental Quality Committees
L&E works to bridge the gap between national and local environmental policies and to make national policies accessible to local professionals for implementation. As part of the organization’s mandate to represent the public on all levels of governemnt, our work includes the representation of the public in local Environmental Quality Committees (EQCs) and the professional development of the Committees’ chairpersons and public representatives .
In 2023 L&E co-wrote the “Changing Climate in the Council” platform together with seven other organizations, which included detailed questionnaire for residents that can be used for salon meetings for panels. As part of the program L&A got 127 candidates, council members, and mayors to sign an environmental charter which they pledged to promote if elected. This initiative reached candidates who previously did not identify with the environmental movement.
Our work with local authorities includes elevating the role of Environmental Quality Committees (EQCs) in local governance and strengthening the link between local and central government to enhance their effectiveness. We promote local governance that is transparent, accountable, responsive, and participatory. To achieve this, we build the capacities of both citizens and elected officials, embed innovative democratic mechanisms within local authorities, and advocate for the decentralization of powers from the central government to regional and local levels. By increasing the powers of council members and residents alike, we recognize and strengthen local governance as the primary arena for change and a cornerstone of democracy in Israel.
