COEJL Director Sybil Sanchez. Photo: COEJL.

The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish life has received a an endorsement from over 40 Jewish community leaders to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 14% by 2014.  This is in addition to the Jewish commitment to seeing a national reduction to 83% of 2005 greenhouse gas emissions levels by 2050.

COEJL will assist each signatory in following through with their commitment by providing training seminars to groups such as the Union for Reform Judaism – one of the groups that pledged to cut their emissions.

“We have, as of today, 42 signers and we expect a lot more.  These are all community leaders and rabbis of Jewish national organizations, denominational movements, and synagogues.  In signing the declaration, they’re making a personal goal to reduce emissions by 14% by 2014,” COEJL Director Sybil Sanchez told The Algemeiner.

COEJL works with faith-based groups and local partners to advocate for improved energy and climate change policy, aiming to protect the environment at the local, state, and federal level.

“We’re part of an interfaith partnership where we share best practices with Evangelicals, Catholics, and Protestants.  We’ve been very strong on international climate change policy, specifically for the poorest people in the world to be able adapt to climate change,” Sanchez said.