NENA region steps up wildfire resilience efforts at COP30’s Global Fire Management Hub showcase

The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region signalled its growing engagement in global wildfire resilience efforts as Dr Mahmoud Fath-Allah, Secretary of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE) at the League of Arab States, joined international partners at the 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP30). The event, “From Call to Action to Implementation: Scaling Fire Solutions through the Global Fire Management Hub,” co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Brazil, highlighted how countries are turning commitments into concrete action through collaborative Integrated Fire Management (IFM).

Speakers showcased progress under the Hub’s five pillars, including early warning systems, data and risk modelling, community-based fire management, and policy implementation. The session emphasized how coordinated fire management supports the Global Stocktake (GST) and aligns with COP30’s Action Agenda.

Representing the NENA region, Dr Fath-Allah noted that recurring drought, rising temperatures and land degradation are heightening wildfire risks and straining dryland ecosystems in the Near East and North Africa. He highlighted that wildfires in the region are rapidly intensifying, affecting millions of hectares of rangelands and forested areas each year, threatening livelihoods, soil stability, and water security. He underscored that forests, though limited in extent, remain essential for soil protection, water regulation and climate adaptation, making prevention and preparedness increasingly urgent.

The region has become an active and increasingly coordinated player in advancing wildfire resilience, supported in part through the Near East Network on Wildlands and Forest Fire (NENFIRE). Established by FAO’s Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa, NENFIRE is a subsidiary body of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission (NEFRC) and connects 20 countries to strengthen capacities and share practical experience. Its Five-Year Roadmap (2025–2030) outlines priorities for prevention, preparedness, response and post-fire recovery tailored to dryland contexts.  Building on these efforts, Saudi Arabia recently announced a regional early warning system initiative to integrate meteorological and vegetation data, enhancing predictive capacities and supporting timely wildfire response across the region.

CAMRE formally recognized forests and forest fire management as a regional environmental and climate priority in October, and in November, NEFRC countries reaffirmed support for implementing the NENFIRE roadmap, enhancing early-warning tools, and mobilizing resources for prevention and response.

Dr Fath-Allah emphasized that networks such as NENFIRE can help accelerate the COP30 Call to Action by supporting countries to integrate IFM into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans, turning fire prevention and landscape restoration into measurable climate commitments. Improved monitoring and post-fire assessment, he added, will also enhance data transparency and strengthen GST reporting.

He concluded that while solutions must reflect regional realities, NENA’s growing cooperation demonstrates how collective action can strengthen resilience. The Global Fire Management Hub offers a platform to scale these efforts and support countries worldwide in addressing escalating wildfire risks.

The event closed with a call for continued global collaboration to safeguard communities, ecosystems and climate goals through more integrated and proactive fire management.