About
Arava Institute is a regional hub for education, cross-border research, and applied environmental diplomacy – a place where Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, and international changemakers come together to confront the intertwined challenges of climate change and regional conflict. For more than 30 years, our academic program and applied research have advanced tangible solutions for communities across the region, amid shifting political realities and repeated cycles of violence – cultivating and deepening trust, strengthening partnerships, and building together a more just and sustainable future.
Impact
Alumni from 34 countries
What guides us
Confronting Interconnected Environmental and Political Realities
Creating a more equitable and resilient region requires confronting the intertwined impacts of climate change, ongoing war, and collective trauma. Displacement, inequality, and environmental deterioration reinforce one another – deepening vulnerability among communities. We advance environmental solutions, critical dialogue, and joint action to address these interconnected issues.
Cultivating change through education
In a region shaped by division and uncertainty, education can open possibilities that politics alone cannot. It creates opportunities to encounter different perspectives, ask difficult questions, and develop the knowledge and skills needed to address interlinked challenges. We see learning as a pathway to leadership, agency, and long-term social and environmental change.
Science in service of shared futures
We believe scientific inquiry should be grounded in integrity, humanism, community, and open-ended questioning. In a deeply divided reality, science creates space for dialogue, builds trust where conflict has worn it thin, and supports collaborative responses to the environmental and social challenges shaping our collective future.
Building resilient human connections
Change begins with relationships built on recognition, respect, and solidarity. Unique in the landscape, we provide a safe and unbiassed space where enduring human connections form – sustaining dialogue and locally rooted initiatives, even through ongoing violence and political rupture. These bonds are not incidental to our work, they are the work.
Our Team
We are the team of the Arava Institute, here to help and support you. If you have any questions or just want to learn more, feel free to reach out. We’d love to hear from you!
Get in touchBlog
Peace Through Shared Challenges: Climate Change in the Middle East
as published at Common Dreams on December 20th, 2024 In a region where political solutions are often slow to materialize, efforts that begin with basic
Arava Institute Statement on the Ceasefire Agreement
We welcomed the news of a ceasefire and hostage agreement with relief and renewed hope that this will bring an end to the suffering on
Celebrating Resilience and Hope – Fall 2024 Graduation
The Fall 2024 semester at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies came to a close last week with a sense of accomplishment and hope, despite
Stay Connected
Projects
AgriPV Applied Research
The project investigates agrivoltaic (AgriPV) systems—integrating photovoltaic energy generation with agricultural production—to advance sustainable, off-grid farming solutions in arid environments.
Ecosystem Services
The Center for Arid Socio Ecology has been studying ecosystem services of the Arava since 2010 and the project is ongoing.
Off-Grid Technology Hubs for Israel’s Bedouin Sector
Off-grid technology hubs integrating water, energy, and education to support resilient, sustainable communities in the Negev.
The Sonia Twite Shelter Garden
The Shelter Garden is a conservation and research initiative focused on protecting rare desert plants and restoring biodiversity in the Arava. It combines science, education, and community engagement in a living, accessible landscape.