The Natural Resources and Environmental Research Center (NRERC)
Director: Dr. Ghermandi Andrea
NRERC was established in 1985, to carry out interdisciplinary research in the area of natural resource and environmental resource management, pioneering this academic research field in Israel.
NRERC was the first, and for many years the only, scientific organization, dealing with socio-economic aspects of the environment in Israel.
NRERC has conducted theoretical, applied and policy studies in the areas of Environmental Resource Management (water and air quality, solid waste, noise pollution, preservation of natural areas and open spaces), and Natural Resource Management (depleting and renewable resource: water, energy, non-fuel minerals).
Areas of scientific activity include water trade issues, tradable pollution permits, the value of open spaces, the existence of unique natural resources, solid waste and recycling, pollution from transportation, biodiversity conservation, and economic aspects of climate change. Our studies include evaluation of the economic costs of global climate change in the Mediterranean; Vulnerability of Water Resource due to Climate Change in the Eastern-Mediterranean Ecosystem- an Integrated Approach to Sustainable Management- Socio-Economic Aspect;
Recently, NRERC was chosen, by the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection, to lead "The Israeli Center for Climate Change" (ICCIC). The center will produce policy papers regarding adaptation to climate change.
Most of the funding comes from external research funds, either national (Ministries of Environmental Protection, National Infrastructure etc.) or international (EU FP6, FP7, European Commission and alike).
Research results are published as research reports, working papers, conference proceedings, and scientific journal papers. NRERC organizes workshops and symposia on issues of interest to the scientific community, decision-making bodies and to the general public.
© Amir Taran
Sea level rise and extreme weather are of the most troubling effects related to climate change.
© Amir Taran
Energy is essential to economic growth, yet, its environmental impacts, such as use of fossil fuels and emission of air pollutants should be evaluated.