Alon Tal
alon@arava.org
Education
HARVARD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF
PUBLIC HEALTH, BOSTON MA
Doctorate in Environmental
Health Policy (1987-89)
M.S. Environmental Science and
Policy (1986-87) Major: Environmental Science and Law
HEBREW UNIVERSITY LAW FACULTY,
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL
Ll. B. (1982-85) Major: Criminal and International Law
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA,
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.
B.A. Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Eta
Sigma, (1978-80) Major: Political
Science, Minor: Economics
Work Experience
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, ARAVA
INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, KIBBUTZ KETURA, UNDER AUSPICES OF TEL AVIV
UNIVERSITY
Founding Director of year-long
study program for middle eastern and international university students with
focus on regional environmental issues. (1996-2000).
ADAM TEVA V'DIN, ISRAEL UNION
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE, TEL AVIV, ISRAEL,
Founding
Director, Oversaw litigation, lobbying, public affairs, administration,
personnel and fundraising of public interest science and law organization (1991-96) Chairman: (1996-98)
LEGAL STAFF,
YAEL SOLEL LAW OFFICES, EILAT, ISRAEL
Private
practice including tort, contract and criminal law (1990)
PROGRAM
ANALYST, U.S. EPA,. POLICY OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Consultant to
U.S. government in policy analysis about permit usage in trading systems,
evaluation of state agricultural programs and legal opinions (1987-89)
RESEARCH
ASSOCIATE, HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Principal
Researcher in review of Nitrate Drinking Water Standards and Report for
Congressional Research Service on Waste Incineration (1987-89).
DIRECTOR,
CAMP TEL YEHUDAH-BET, BARRYVILLE, NY
Administer
program staff and campers in Zionist educational summer camp for 200 high
school age youth (Summer, 1987)
ASSISTANT,
OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL, JERUSALEM ISRAEL
Legal
research, preparation of criminal prosecution files, participation in policy
meetings and correspondences (1985-86)
LEGAL AID,
ISRAEL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SERVICE
Assisted Legal
Advisor in ongoing work, comparative legal research for legislation and review
of local by-laws (1983-85)
ISRAEL
DEFENSE FORCES
Completed
squad commander's course in Nahal Paratrooper Battalion. (1980-82) Active
Reserve Duty (1982-99) present
rank sergeant.
Academic Appointments
ARAVA INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENAL
STUDIES
Senior Lecturer (1996-2000)
OTAGO UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF
LAW, DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND
Visiting Professor, (1998)
TEL AVIV
UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF LAW
Adjunct
Lecturer in Environmental Law (1991-2000)
HARVARD
UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEATH, BOSTON MA.
Adjunct
Lecturer in Environmental Health Policy, (1989-97)
BEN GURION
UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV
Visiting
Lecturer in Environmental Law and Policy (1990-94)
LECTURER, JERUSALEM
INSTITUTE, MT. SCOPUS, JERUSALEM
Courses in
Israeli Law and Mid-East history to visiting college students (1985-86)
Selected Professional Committees
Life and
Environment, Umbrella Organization for Israeli Environmental NGOs
Board Member
(1991-99). Chairman (1999-2000).
IUCN, International Conservation
Union, Legal Committee --Israeli Representative, (1994-99)
Harvard
University Center for Risk Analysis -- Advisory Board Member (1992-99)
Eilot
Regional Council, Elected District Representative (1994-98)
Israel's
Green Seal, Eco Consumer Program -- Public interest representative (1993-97)
Israel Bar
Association, Environmental Committee (1994-97)
Ecopeace/Friends
of the Earth, Middle East,
Founding Board Member, (1995-99)
U.S. EPA Member
of the Office of Water's National Nonpoint Source Five Year Agenda Task Force
(1988)
Natural
Resources Defense Council, Member of Nonpoint Source Publications Advisory
Board (1988)
Grants and Awards
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,,
Network for Environmental Management Studies Four Time Fellowship Recipient (1987-89)
Monsanto Agricultural Company,
Grant to Conduct Policy Research (1987-89)
Harvard University, Willensky
Award for Academic Excellence (1989) Teaching Assistantship (1988)
Henry Ford European Conservation
Award Winner, (1997)
PUBLICATIONS
Books
Preserving a Promised Land – An
Environmental History of Israel, Accepted for
publication at the University of California Press, Berkeley. (expected publication, February, 2000.)
Academic
Publications
Alon Tal, Dorit Talitman,
“Shooting Blanks, Israel’s Experience Enforcing the Barcelona Convention”
(in preparation)
Alon Tal, “Quantification of
Economic Benefits of Non-Complying Polluters: Potential for Integration of the
BEN Model into the Israeli Penalty Framework,” Ecology and Environment,
January, 2000.
Orit Marom, Alon Tal, “Towards a
More Effective Model of Public Interest Environmental Citizen Suits,” submitted
to the Israel Law Review.
Alon Tal, "Beyond the Rhetoric of Statistical
Murder: The Ethical Implication of Risk Assessment," Eco System Quality,
1998.
Alon Tal, "Enforceable Standards to
Abate Agricultural Pollution: The Potential of Regulatory Policies in the
Israeli Context,” Tel Aviv University Studies in Law, vol. 14, 1998, p.
223-286.
Alon Tal, "Assessing the
Environmental Movement's Attitudes Towards Risk Assessment," Environmental
Science and Technology, vol. 30 No. 10, 1997, p.470-476.
Alon Tal, "An Imperiled
Promised Land, The Antecedents of Israel's Environmental Crises and Prospects
for Change," Journal of Developing Societies, Vol. XIII 1997, p.
116-134.
Alon Tal, "A Failure to Engage: Public
Interest Activism and Environmental Health Risk Assessment," Environmental
Forum, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1997, p. 13-21.
Alon Tal, "Citizen Suits to Improve Sewage
Treatment, The Limitations and Potential of Legal Actions Against Polluting
Municipalities," Ecology and Environment, vol. 2, p. 151-155, July
1995.
Alon Tal, "Enmity in the Wind, Regulation of
Transboundary Air Pollution in an Israeli-Palestinian Environmental Agreement, Our
Shared Environment, (Ed. Twite, Issac) Jerusalem, IPCRI, p. 246-279, 1994.
Alon Tal, Law of the
Environment," Israel Business Law, Kaplan, Ed. Boston, Kluwer, p. 241-353, 1994.
(Reprinted, 1995)
Alon Tal, "Preventing
Pollution from Ports and Maritime Activity in the Gulf of Aqaba, Current
Practices in Israel," Protecting the Gulf of Aqaba, A Regional
Environmental Challenge, Washington, Environmental Law Institute, 1993,
259-283.
Alon Tal, Reforms in Mobile
Source Air Pollution Prevention: Towards the Catalytic Converter Era," Biosphera,
vol. 22, no. 7 p. 4-11, 1993.
Alon Tal, Eilon Schwartz,
"The Environmental Crises as a Function of the Relationships in Human
Society," Skira Chodshit, June 1993, p. 34-39.
Alon Tal, "On Protected
Societal Values and the Criminality of Environmental Offenses," Ha
Praklit, Journal of the Israel Bar Association, vol. 40, 1992, p. 413-420.
Alon Rosenthal, George Gray,
John Graham, "Legislating Acceptable Risk From Exposure to Toxic
Chemicals, Ecology Law Quarterly, vol. 19, No. 2, p. 269, 1992 Reprinted
in An Environmental Law Anthology, Fischman et. al., Ed. Cincinnati,
Anderson, 1996.
Alon Tal, "Increasing
Demand for Recyclable Wastes and Recycled Products: The Limitations and
Potential of Statutory Solutions," Environmental Quality and Ecosystem
Stability, Adin, et. al, Ed.
Jerusalem, ISEEQS, 1992.
Alon Rosenthal, "State
Agricultural Pollution Regulation, A Quantitative Assessment," Water
Environment and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 8, 1990 p. 50-58.
Alon Rosenthal, "Nitrates
in Drinking Water," in Harnessing Science for Environmental Regulation,
Graham, Ed. 1991.
Alon Rosenthal, "USDA's
Dubious Commitment to Water Quality," Environmental Forum, vol. 5,
1988, p. 18-22.
Peter Rogers and Alon Rosenthal,
"The Imperatives of Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Policy, Journal of
the Water Pollution Control Association, vol. 60 p. 1912 (1988)
A. Rosenthal, "Measuring
Noise: Towards an Optimal Judicial Policy," Israel Law Review, vol.
20, 1985.
Government and
Commissioned Reports
Shirli Bar-David and Alon Tal, Harnessing
Activism to Protect Israel's Environment, A Survey of Public Interest Activity and
Potential, Tel Aviv, Adam Teva
V'din, 1996.
Alon Tal, Shoshan Lopatin, Gidon
Bromberg, Sustainable Energy-related Development Projects in the Middle East
Peace Region, Submitted to U.S. AID, Washington D.C. March, 1995.
Recycling Legislation Around the
World, A Report
Commissioned by the Israel's Interior and Environment Committee, 1992.
Alon Rosenthal, BMP
Longevity, A Pilot Study, U.S. EPA Technical Report, 1989.
Alon Rosenthal, Conservation
Districts Role in Nonpoint Source Regulation, U.S. EPA, Office of Water,
1988.
Alon Rosenthal, Mary Sawey, John
Graham, Controlling Emissions from Municipal Waste Incineration, Report
published by the Congressional Research Service, March 1989.
Alon Rosenthal, "Permitting
Nonpoint Sources," Report to EPA Office of Policy Program and Evaluation,
1987.
Selected Conference
Publications and Presentations
Alon Tal, “Public Campaigns Against Environmentally Related Transportation Hazards: Lessons from Israel and the World,” Conference on Transportation in Haifa, Quality of Life or Dead End?, Haifa University, March 6, 2000.
Alon Tal, “Environmental
Awareness in Israel – Where We Are and Where We’re Going,” Keynote Address, IPCRI
Israeli/Palestinian Environmental Conference, Jerusalem, January 18, 2000.
Alon Tal, “Zionism’s
Environmental Paradox: The Ecological Price of Modern Jewish Nationalism,” The
Regional Conference of the International Water Resources Association, Jerusalem,
June, 1999.
Alon Tal, "The Role of the
Environmental Movement in Promoting ISO 14000 -- Changing the Payoff
Scheme," Workshop held by the Israel Engineers and Architects
Association, Proceedings, Tel
Aviv, May, 1997.
Alon Tal, "Multi-National
Schemes for Groundwater Protection," Our Shared Environment,
Jerusalem, Israel Palestine Center for Research and Development, 1996.
Alon Tal, "Revisiting
Israel's Land Based Source Discharges to the Mediterranean, Israel's Commitment
to the Barcelona Convention," National Ecology and Environmental
Quality Conference, Haifa, July 1995.
Alon Tal, "The Role of Public Involvement in
Preserving Eilat's Coast," Tel Aviv University Conference on the
Environment and Peace, June 1995.
Alon Tal, "Legal
Proceedings Against Sewage Discharges in Ra'ananah to the Poleg Stream, Lessons
Learned," Israel Rivers Conference, 1995, (proceedings), Rachel Einav and Avital
Gazit Ed. Tel Aviv University, February 21, 1995.
Alon Tal, "International
Cooperation to Protect the Gulf of Aqaba: Theory and Practice," The
Ecosystem of the Gulf of Aqaba in Relation to the Enhanced Economic Development
and the Peace Process, Eilat, February, 1995.
Alon Tal, "The Role of Law
in Environmental Protection and Planning,” Our Shared Environment,
Jerusalem, Israel Palestine Center for Research and Development, 1995.
Alon Tal, Pollution Prevention
in the Kinneret Watershed Through Regulation of Animal Feedlots," Israeli
Presentation at the Pollution Prevention NGO Conference, Sfax Tunisia,
September, 1994.
Alon Tal, "Environmental
Law in Israel and its Enforcement," Our Shared Environment,
Jerusalem, Israel Palestine Center for Research and Development, 1994.
Alon Tal, "Confronting
Pollution from Municipal Sewage, A Strategic Assessment of NGO Legal
Options," International Conference on "The Role of Non Governmental
Organizations in Protecting the Environment," Eilat, Israel, March 23, 1994.
Alon Tal, "Peace and the
Environment in the Middle East, an Activist's Perspective," National
Public Interest Law Conference, Eugene Oregon, 1992.
Alon Tal, "Conservation Districts,
Enforcement and Agricultural Pollution," National Nonpoint Conference,
St. Louis, June, 1989.
Selected Articles in
the Popular Press
Alon Tal, “A Brief Environmental
History of Israel,” (lead article) Hiriyah in the Museum, Artists’ and
Architects’ Proposals for Rehabilitation of the Site, Tel Aviv Museum of
Art, 1999. To be republished in Jewish
Lights, 2000.
Alon Tal, “Silent Spring at
Forty – Assessing Rachel Carson’s Legacy,” Eretz V’Tevah, November-December,
1999
Alon Tal, “The Air is Free,” Eretz
V’Tevah, September-October, 1999.
Alon Tal, “Missing the
Green Peace,” Jerusalem Report, October,1997.
Alon Tal, Guest Columnist, Inside
EPA’s Risk Policy Report, June, 1997.
Alon Tal, "Whose Coast is
it Anyway?" Jerusalem Report, June 1996.
Alon Tal, "The Freedom of
Information Law, A Disservice to Environmental Quality?" The Coalition
for Freedom of Information Newsletter, Jerusalem, Shatil, February, 1996/
Alon Tal, Passing and Enforcing,
How to Plan for Designated Bus Lanes," Green, Blue and White, p.
30-32, August , 1995
Alon Tal, "Damage to the
Ozone Layer from Methyl Bromide," Environmental Quality, March,
1994, p. 20-22.
Alon Tal, "Six Reasons
Behind Israel's Environmental Crisis," Politica, vol. 47,
1993.