UNEP's Andersen calls for urgent action against life threatening wildfires

Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, has urged member states, large corporations, investors and wealthy individuals to take the necessary measures to prevent an increase in life-threatening wildfires.

"While wildfires are a normal and even essential process in nature, there is nothing normal or natural about the blazes we are seeing raging across Europe, North America and other parts of the world," Andersen said In a note released July 28.

Current wildfires are triggering loss of life and property, are affecting human health and provoking loss of nature and biodiversity, something that UNEP is deeply concerned about, Andersen said.

Without changes in behavior, global warming and land-use changes are projected to increase extreme fires by up to 14% by 2030, 30% by the end of 2050 and 50% by the end of the century, according to UNEP.

To prevent further wildfires Andersen pointed to the transition to green and efficient energy, as well as the creation of a new nature-centered economy as the way forward.

But with the earth's climate already changed, public spending should also be focused on a strategy to minimize the risk of extreme wildfires rather than just reacting to them. Actions to be taken under this formula include land protection and restoration of high-quality ecosystems.

While Andersen called on governments to "take the necessary measures to extinguish the ongoing fires, prevent further ones, and protect and restore ecosystems," he highlighted the role that other players, such as large corporations, investors and the wealthy can play.

"We must all look at what we can do in our lives to reduce our emissions," he said. "When the world is burning, we must all become firefighters."