Taming Wildfires in the Context of Climate Change
This report provides a global assessment and outlook on wildfire risk in the context of climate change. It discusses the drivers behind the growing incidence of extreme wildfires and the attribution effect of climate change. It outlines the environmental, social and economic impacts of wildfires by illustrating the losses and costs observed during recent extreme wildfire events. Building on this, the report presents the findings of a cross-country comparative analysis of how countries’ policies and practices have evolved in recent years in light of observed and projected changes in wildfire risk. The analysis draws on in-depth case studies conducted in Australia, Costa Rica, Greece, Portugal and the United States. The report underlines the urgent need for governments to scale up climate change adaptation efforts to limit future wildfire costs.
Adapting policies and practices to extreme wildfires: A cross-country review
This chapter provides an overview of the trends in countries’ policies and practices in response to the growing occurrence of extreme wildfires. The analysis is informed by the findings of five in-depth country case studies conducted in Australia, Costa Rica, Greece, Portugal and the United States, in addition to a desk review of policies and practices adopted by countries globally. The chapter assesses whether and how countries have adapted their policies and practices in light of the growing occurrence of extreme wildfires. In doing so, it highlights the indispensable and growing role prevention measures play in limiting the impacts and costs of extreme wildfires. The chapter identifies good practices and highlights findings and recommendations for designing a conducive enabling environment.
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