The side event Working Together to Manage Fires for Climate and People of the 26th Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) will take place on 5 October 2022 from 12:45–14:15 (UTC +2) in the Red Room of the FAO Headquarters. Register here for the online session!

Wildfires are burning longer and more intensely and occurring in forests, peatlands and permafrost during fire seasons that are now extended in many parts of the world. Climate change and land-use change are projected to make wildfires more frequent and intense. There is a need to shift the focus of attention and investment on wildfires from reaction and response to prevention and preparedness.

During the XV World Forestry Congress (WFC), FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced their joint development of a Global Fire Management Platform. The aim of this platform is to: strengthen countries’ capacities to implement integrated fire management, including through the use of Indigenous and traditional knowledge; help create linkages and routine connection between regional groups focused on fire management; and help countries meet climate and sustainable development goals through integrated fire management.

The objective of this session is to bring together key partners for the Global Fire Management Platform to discuss how to promote integrated fire management at scale, including for sustainable food systems. 

It aligns with the Better Environment Program Priority Area on "Climate change mitigating and adapted agri-food systems" (BE1) of FAO’s Strategic Framework (2022–2031).

The paper The key role of forest and landscape restoration in climate action will be launched at this event.