25 March 2024 | 16:00 - 17:30 (UK)
Open Session - HYBRID
Room: Salisbury (JMCC)
Organiser: Kristina Baer (Arctic Council Secretariat, Norway)
Event Description:
Wildland fires have arisen as a critical environmental concern with far-reaching ecological, social, cultural, and economic implications, serving as a stark reminder on the urgency of addressing climate change and its immediate and long-term impacts in the North and globally. While fire is a natural part of Arctic ecosystems, wildland fires across the Northern hemisphere have notably increased in frequency, severity, and area across the Arctic and boreal forests over the past several years.
This session will provide an overview of the diverse wildland fire work conducted by Arctic Council’s Working Groups with the aim of providing an overview of projects that range from emission monitoring to fire ecology and international cooperation to effectively respond to wildland fires. In addition, it invites external researchers to present different wildland fire issue/challenges the Arctic Council should be aware of and consider committing resources to in the near future. The session invites active engagement in sharing experiences and knowledge with the WG speakers, Indigenous Peoples participants, external experts and ASSW participants.
The discussions will feed into the Norwegian Chairship’s Wildland Fires Initiative, which was launched in October 2023 and seeks to elevate Arctic wildland fires as an urgent climate change issue on the Arctic Council’s agenda, and beyond, to increase circumpolar collaboration, knowledge sharing, and partnership.