Americans for Ben-Gurion University has announced a $20 million commitment from philanthropists Michael Sonnenfeldt and Katja Goldman to help address climate change. 

The largest single gift in the organization’s history will establish the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), the first of its kind in Israel. The donation enables BGU to develop its research program across multiple disciplines, including agriculture, marine biology, and alternative energy across more than 150 research labs. As a platform, the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change will work to provide seamless integration of novel, multidisciplinary approaches to education, research, and outreach as the world's environmental needs evolve in the decades to come. 

“BGU is leading the world in adaptability research for climate change,” said Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation co-founder and president Michael Sonnenfeldt. “For decades, their researchers have been developing leading-edge technology to help Israel adapt to a harsh desert climate. Now that much of the rest of the world faces similar conditions, this research has global and urgent applicability. We are proud to contribute to BGU’s mission to address a global challenge with revolutionary solutions that allow humanity to survive, and thrive, amid global climate disruption.”

(Photo credit: Dani Machlis/Americans for Ben-Gurion University)