As Green Prophet nears its first birthday, we’re are pleased to have brought you hundreds of stories about environmental issues and activism in Israel and the Middle East over the last 12 months.

We’re glad to be playing our part in the mushrooming of environmental awareness in the region. According to data from Yifat Media Research, environmental reporting in the media rose by 300% in the last decade, including a 25% increase in 2007 alone (reported by the Ministry of Environmental Protection’s Sharon Achdut in the Ministry’s latest Israel Environmental Bulletin.)

Sidelined for many years by the Israel’s traditional three national priorities (security, security and security), the increase in media coverage is a sure sign of ‘green issues’ moving into mainstream public consciousness, as demonstrated by candidates vying for the green vote in last month’s municipal elections.

“In the beginning of this decade, environmental stories only hit the front pages under exceptional circumstance,” writes Achdut. “However, much has changed in recent years, with environmental awareness on the rise among all sectors of Israeli society… The mass media has followed suit, generating even greater public interest in environmental issues.”

It’s reassuring to see that Middle Eastern journalists and editors are catching up with activists, NGOs and scientists – and finally taking the environment seriously. Hopefully these green words will be translated into action.

:: ‘Greening the media’, Israel Environment Bulletin, Vol 34, November 2008.

Photo: metamuro.

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