The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has today released a guide with updated guidelines to help countries deal with extreme wildfires.
The document, “Voluntary Guidelines for Integrated Fire Management: Strategic Principles and Actions”, is a reference to this UN. The agency (United Nations) updated its two-decade-old guidelines and included new recommendations to “address the challenges arising from the current climate crisis”. Report.
By the end of the century, severe wildfires will increase by about 50% and environmental changes associated with climate change, such as more frequent droughts, higher temperatures and stronger winds, will “result in hotter, drier and longer fire seasons . . .”
According to the FAO, about 340 million to 370 million hectares of land on Earth’s surface are burned annually by forest fires, damaging sustainable development and communities’ livelihoods and causing high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
“How we respond to the challenge of wildfires is fundamental (…). We need to shift our focus from reactive responses to proactive strategies, prioritizing prevention and preparedness,” Jimin Wu, Director of FAO’s Division of Forestry, said in a statement launching the new edition of the guide during the 9th World Forestry Week. Said place in Rome.
The Global Fire Management Center’s “first activity” is the launch of updated guidelines by 2023, developed by FAO and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) with support from the United States, Canada, France, Germany and Portugal. As well as the Republic of Korea.
The center announced that it had already received nearly five million dollars (4.6 million euros) in funding, “essential support for its work to reduce the adverse effects of wildfires on society, landscapes and climate”.
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