From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 5, 2025
Following wildfires, US-Israeli confab at Stanford to compare notes on climate
Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
In the wake of devastating fires in Israel and California, experts from the US and Israel, particularly Los Angeles and Tel Aviv, will compare notes, conclusions, and suggestions for climate resilience at Stanford University later this month.
The event, from May 29 to 30, will feature around 50 speakers.
Nobel Prize-winning physicist and Obama-era US energy secretary Steven Chu, will be keynoting the opening dinner.
Chairing the conference will be Prof. Alon Tal of Tel Aviv University, a visiting professor at Stanford University last year. Tal says he hopes the event — focusing on climate resilience and local government policy — will help normalize Israel again on American campuses and allow for Israeli experts to engage academically on a topic in which Israel can make a valuable contribution.
Because of climate change, wildfires are expected to be more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting.
“The topic itself could not be more pressing,” Tal says. “After the fires in Los Angeles and now the Independence Day blaze that paralyzed central Israel, it’s essential to bring greater attention to preparing cities for the challenges that the climate crisis will increasingly be imposing. ”
“Tel Aviv has been active and creative in this regard. It is a member of the vaunted C-40 global network of climate-conscious cities. So is LA. So, bringing top experts from LA and Tel Aviv together at Stanford seemed like a good idea, and as we moved forward, the conference took on national dimensions,” he says.
Attendance is free for the public, with meals included upon registration.
A decision has yet to be made on broadcasting the confab online.
The Times of Israel Community.