The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) once again brought home the effect of climate change to humanity in a recent report when it warms of threat of wild fire. The organisation warned that the global forest is faced with increasing climate-related stress which has made the complex ecosystem vulnerable to wildfire and pests.
In it’s recent report titled “The State of the World’s Forests 2024: Forest-sector Innovations Towards a more sustainable future,” released at the 27th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), the FAO said, “Wildfire intensity and frequency are increasing, including in areas not previously affected”.
Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity through air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, forced displacement, pressures on mental health, and increased hunger and poor nutrition in places where people cannot grow or find sufficient food.
The reports said, “Nearly 6 billion people use non-timber forest products, and 70 per cent of the world’s poor rely on wild species for food, medicine, energy, income, and other purposes. Projections indicate that global roundwood demand could increase by as much as 49 per cent between 2020 and 2050.
“Wildfire intensity and frequency are increasing, including in areas not previously affected, with fires in 2023 releasing an estimated 6,687 megatonnes of carbon dioxide globally.
“Boreal fire was previously responsible for about 10 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions mainly driven by extended drought causing an increase in fire severity and fuel consumption”.
Addressing the drastic effect of climate on forestry, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu says there’s evidence that climate change is making forests more vulnerable to stressors such as wildfires and pests.
According to him, “Science and innovation are crucial ingredients for achieving forest-based solutions”.
The report argues that forest-sector innovation is a crucial enabler of progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals stating that AI facilitates the automated analysis of a vast volume of existing and future optical, radar, and lidar data collected daily by drones, satellites and space stations;
Subsequently, the United Nations body called for the adoption of mass timber and other wood-based innovations that can replace fossil-based products in the building sector; policies aimed at engaging women, youth and Indigenous Peoples in developing locally led solutions; and innovations in public and private sector finance to enhance the value of standing forests.
