Forests are essential in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. They also protect populations from floods and land erosion, regulate water cycles and protect habitats for endangered species, as well as provide for livelihoods if sustainably managed.
Unfortunately, intense drought and heat caused by climate change are creating the ideal conditions for forest fires. More intense and more frequent fires are destroying ecological habitats and expelling significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Clearly, the adoption of smart policies aimed at preventing forest fires are crucial to combating climate change, as megafires become extremely difficult and dangerous to control once they are active. The European Union Forest Strategy for 2030 sets a vision and concrete actions for increasing the quantity and quality of forests in the EU, including through the planting of at least 3 billion additional trees by 2030, and strengthening their protection, restoration, and resilience.
On Friday, November 19, join the European Union, Western Environmental Law Center and The Nature Conservancy discussed best practices on forest management, including forest governance and enforcement aspects that can reverse the trend of more menacing and devastating forest fires.
