"Join us as we bring light to thousands of people we serve here in Israel throughout the 8 days of Chanukah..."

Dear Friends,

As the Global Summit on Climate Change launches in Copenhagen, please enjoy this newsletter bringing you insight into the issues at hand and the global and local aspects of Copenhagen 2010.

As the Festival of Lights approaches, I also encourage you to take part in our 1MillionDrops.org online Campaign. Join us as we bring light to thousands of people we serve here in Israel throughout the 8 days of Chanukah. We’re doing this, in co-operation with 250 other non-profit organizations, by partnering with the 1MillionDrops.org online campaign, where our goal is to collect 1,000,000 virtual drops of oil from people like you from around the world. The oil will keep the Virtual Menorah burning bright throughout Chanukah, and all of the donations collected ($1 dollar is 4 drops) will be donated to non-profit organizations bringing light to thousands of Israelis this holiday season.

You can ensure that your donation is allocated to Green Course by clicking here or on any of the links in this Newsletter. The campaign system will recognize that you arrived at the campaign through Green Course, and all of the funds that you donate will be reserved for Green Course.

All donations made through the campaign are tax-deductible in Israel, the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Please spread this newsletter around to your friends and family, or post it to your Facebook wall or Twitter feed through the campaign page, and help us fundraise 1 million drops!

To visit the campaign page, click here.
Chanukah Sameach!

Gil Ya'acov
Green Course, Executive Director

Will Israel Stand Up to the Challenges Ahead? By Avidan Waldman

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen has finally begun (December 7th –18th). Gil Ya’acov, Executive Director of Green Course, will be traveling to Copenhagen as part of the Israeli delegation. Gil is certainly going with high hopes and prepared to be an active participant. Gil represents Green Course’s goals of a solid treaty that will lower world green house gas emissions.

	Interview with Gil Ya’acov Click for full interview
Minister of Environment, Gilad Erdan, at Green Course Demonstration against Ashkelon's 3rd Coal Power Plant

Who is representing Israel at the conference? Are you attending as part of the Israeli Delegation?

There are two Israeli groups going to the conference. One consisting of more than thirty people from Non-Governmental Organizations in Israel and there is a formal Israeli delegation consisting of government representatives.

Green Course is part of a coalition of NGO’s working together on climate change issues, called “Paths to Sustainability”. From our experience, the government delegates are usually less informed than the NGOs so we will provide the Israeli delegates with extended information during our daily meetings. Our goal is to increase pressure on the Israeli government to take more internationally binding commitments to reduce emissions. This communication will allow us to follow-up on everything they do and say.

What have you and your delegation prepared before the conference?

Our position regarding Israel focuses on two main issues.     

Another issue the delegation focused on was the coal power plant. This issue will be the real test for the Israeli government: business as usual or a change to renewable energies and energy efficiency. We will certainly keep the pressure on the Israeli delegates to show some commitment towards scrapping these plans.