Rivers restoration in Israel: A sustainable economic approach to measure non-market values in a trans-boundary setting

Water for nature is becoming an increasingly important feature in Israel's nature conservation efforts. Rivers that were once a sewage canals are going through significant restoration efforts. However, the issue of non-market values of restoring natural assets still puzzle many decision makers and in particular when the river is shared between two (sometimes more) entities.

This presentation will try to explore these issues based on some studies that Professor Becker has conducted in the last decade including studies on the Dead Sea and the Lower Jordan River, the Alexander - Ziemar River, the Kidron-Nar River. While the 1st resource is shared by three entities (Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan), the 2nd and 3rd represent rivers that one starts from the Palestinian Authority while the second starts from Israel and both flows from one entity to the other).

Is there really hope for these rivers? This presentation will try to elaborate on this and other issues related to the complex situation in Israel in that respect.