The Korea Forest Service announced that a resolution to strengthen global wildfire management was adopted at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) held in Nairobi, Kenya, from the 8th to the 12th. The resolution emphasizes that wildfires cause biodiversity loss, forest degradation, air pollution, and significant human and property damage, calling for enhanced international cooperation for effective prevention, early warning, response, and recovery.
The resolution recommends integrated efforts such as strengthening wildfire response capabilities, exchanging technology and information, and improving policies and systems. It particularly highlights the need to strengthen the international cooperation system centered around the Global Wildfire Management Hub. This hub, initiated with contributions from South Korea, was launched in collaboration with the FAO and UNEP, with participation from Germany, Canada, France, and Portugal.
The Global Wildfire Management Hub aims to enhance global wildfire response capabilities by establishing a wildfire management cooperation system based on the Integrated Fire Management approach, which includes pre-analysis and preparation, as well as post-response and recovery. South Korea is actively participating as a core group member of the hub’s fire data working group, engaging in discussions on linking and standardizing wildfire data between countries.
Songhee Nam, Director of International Forest Cooperation at the Korea Forest Service, stated that the adoption of this resolution reaffirms the Global Wildfire Management Hub, initiated by South Korea, as a key platform for international wildfire response. She added that they plan to further enhance wildfire prediction and risk management models through closer science and technology-based global cooperation and improve the effectiveness of domestic wildfire policies.