Why is fire management needed?
According to UNEP, the number of wildfires may rise by 50% by 2100, and as such will likely surpass the capacity of governments to handle them. Urgent action requires that fire management strategies, policies and plans need to be coherent with broader national policy frameworks on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
To tackle the growing threat of wildfires, a good start could be made by combining aspects of the climate change and forest agendas, and focusing on synergies between Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Global Forest Goals of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF).
National development strategies including other agendas must also acknowledge fire management in the sustainable use of land and forests, and climate funding should be mobilized to support national actions.
Key messages
This white paper contains the key messages from the session Fire-smart landscapes as promising approach for effective adaptation and mitigation held on GLF Climate: Frontiers of Change, which aim is to present opportunities to share and learn from integrated fire management and fire risk reduction experiences.
Presenters and panelists provide practical examples of integrated approaches that take into account wildfire risk and climate change; and the active involvement of indigenous and local communities (and their knowledge), local government, smallholders, and other stakeholders in developing and implementing effective wildfire risk reduction strategies, policies, and practices:
- Develop land use planning policies and regulations for effective fire management with local communities, governments, and other landscape actors
- Learn from indigenous and traditional knowledge on wildfire prevention and mitigation
- Explicitly address the effects of improved fire management at the national level in NDCs
- Climate funding can support the inclusive development and implementation of national fire management strategies, policies, and regulations.
Learn more about Tropenbos’ fire-smart landscapes 🌳
