Last August, I had the privilege of joining the Israeli delegation to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17), held in Mongolia. The conference was a major international event, bringing together more than 10,000 participants from 196 countries to address the global challenges facing drylands and efforts to combat desertification, respond to climate change, and restore vulnerable ecosystems.
Mongolia welcomed us in all its splendor – vast, seemingly endless landscapes where grasslands, deserts, and snow-capped peaks meet, dotted with traditional yurts, horses, and two-humped Bactrian camels. It is a remarkable mosaic where an ancient
Buddhist culture meets a young, vibrant population eager for learning, innovation, and development.The Israeli delegation was small but significant. It included senior representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Israel's Ambassador to China, the Special Envoy for Climate Change, and the Ambassador heading the Center for International Cooperation – alongside representatives of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev: Prof. Noam Weisbrod, a faculty member of the School and the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, who serves as Israel's focal point to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and myself, as Head of the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change.
For me, it was a great privilege and a source of deep pride to represent Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and in particular the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change, on the international stage. Meeting representatives from countries around the world underscored the extent to which the knowledge and expertise developed at our University – particularly in the fields of desertification, sustainability, and adaptation to extreme climatic conditions – are recognized and valued internationally.
One of the major outcomes of the conference was a commitment to mobilize approximately $1.3 billion in green investments, including a $1.2 billion initiative to restore rangelands and fragile ecosystems in dryland regions. These commitments highlight the growing importance of research, innovation, and international collaboration in addressing the environmental challenges facing the world's drylands.
During the conference, in my capacity as Head of the School, I held a series of working meetings with Mongolia's Ministers of Agriculture, Education, Health, and Culture. These meetings provided an opportunity to present the knowledge and expertise of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and to explore potential future collaborations in the fields of desertification, sustainability, and climate change.
It was particularly meaningful to hear from the Minister of Health about his strong impression of, and positive previous experience with, researchers from Ben-Gurion University. The other ministers likewise expressed considerable interest in the expertise and experience we bring to the table, as well as in opportunities for collaboration between Mongolian institutions and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
The visit to Mongolia reinforced for me what makes our University unique: our ability to connect cutting-edge research, practical experience developed in the Negev, and international collaborations aimed at addressing global challenges. For the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change, it is also an opportunity to continue building bridges among researchers, governments, and institutions around the world, and to bring our knowledge and experience to places where they can make a meaningful difference.