As we reflect on the year 2023, marked as the hottest year on record with a global average temperature increase of 1.49 degrees Celsius, it becomes evident that we urgently need to make a significant change and a difference for Mother Earth.

It is no longer sustainable to continue at this pace as the climate crisis unfolds. Consider the data from 2023: ocean temperatures reached a historic high, and polar ice caps in Antarctica and Greenland are melting at an alarming rate, resulting in an annual rise in sea levels of approximately half a centimeter. The concentration of major greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continues to ominously rise.

All of these factors have led to a record year of extreme weather events and natural disasters, including severe storms, widespread wildfires, powerful winds, and flooding, which, in some cases, resulted in thousands of deaths. Heatwaves exacerbate agricultural productivity loss, water scarcity for drinking and agriculture, immense property damage, and loss of life.

Dr. Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist, said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

We must swiftly transition to higher levels of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, nature rehabilitation, and more to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, there is a growing urgency to focus on building resilience, adaptation, and preparing ourselves for the crisis already underway. All of this requires significant climate innovation, technological solutions, and initiative.

On Earth Day 2024, Israel’s commitment to global ecological responsibility remains stronger than ever.

In Israel, we have dealt with challenges such as desertification, water scarcity, and extreme temperatures for decades and have successfully developed a variety of methods that can be applied to address the climate crisis. These can serve as a model and example for many countries worldwide.

Take water, for example, water conservation, wastewater treatment, desalination, and the use of saline water for irrigation are very well developed in Israel and practically create a circular economy of water that is much needed globally.

The climate crisis decreases agricultural output. But in Israel, we produce more with less water and less land. The application of drip irrigation, developed in Israel, is a necessity in a world where droughts occur much more often. As the world faces enormous demands to supply more food and agricultural production for industry, we need better agricultural technology.

Remote sensing through satellites and drones for maximizing agricultural production and sustainable agriculture, reducing the use of chemicals, water use efficiency in irrigation, carbon sequestration monitoring, and wildfire prevention are more examples of Israeli climate innovation. Indeed, the Israeli climate innovation sector is growing rapidly, with one out of every six startups founded in Israel in 2022 focusing on this area, with approximately 800 Israeli startups in the sector.

It is important to emphasize that Israel is willing and eager to collaborate globally with countries like the Philippines. Through cooperation, we can overcome the immense challenges ahead and preserve our planet.

In 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection was signed by Israeli Foreign Minister Eliyahu Cohen and Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary of the Philippines Enrique Manalo. The agreement will provide opportunities for both Israel and the Philippines to share best practices in addressing common challenges related to the environment, preservation of ecosystems, disaster risk management, and promotion and dissemination of environmental technologies.

A simple initiative of the Embassy of Israel in Manila is the Green Standard Team. In alignment with our commitment to environmental stewardship, we have implemented four key eco-friendly and sustainable practices within our office space. These initiatives include transitioning to a paperless operation to minimize waste, segregating recyclable materials, conserving electricity by turning off lights, computers, and air conditioning when not in use, and promoting water conservation through the use of sensor-equipped faucets. These are some of the steps we are initiating. By implementing these sustainable practices, our Embassy actively contributes to the global effort towards a cleaner, greener planet.

The world is placing significant emphasis on government actions and pressuring industries to address climate change. However, ultimately, it falls upon us to take action and encourage others to join us. We hold the power to change our environmental behaviors and inspire others to do the same.

Earth Day is an annual reminder to every living creature on this planet that climate change has a major impact on our lives and our future. This day forward, we must think of sustainable and achievable ways to save this planet.