COP presidency spearheads efforts to avert wildfire emissions: Over 56 international organizations and institutions signed the World Fire Emission Reduction Alliance (WFERA) initiative which targets the reduction of carbon emissions resulting from wildfires, according to a statement. The international coalition targets slashing emissions from wildfires worldwide by 80% by 2050 under the umbrella of the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC) by collaborating to enhance firefighting and civil defense systems worldwide.

Climate change has set the world ablaze: The alliance comes as part of the push to galvanize efforts aimed at tackling the impacts of climate change on wildfire season. Climate change-induced wildfires have increased, impacting twice as much tree cover in 2023 compared to observed levels over the past two decades, according to the latest data from The Global Forest Watch. The extreme fire season in the northern hemisphere in 2023 has caused global emissions to increase 10-28% above the 2003-2022 average. This year, the EU saw the “ largest ever wildfire ” on record on the back of a fire that ravaged over 300 sq miles of land in Greece.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

  • Egypt’s methane regulations in the pipeline: Egypt is set to introduce regulations to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas industry by the end of 2024. Egypt is also expected to ink an agreement during COP28 with the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to support its methane abatement roadmap. The US and Canada recently issued their own draft regulations to curb methane emissions. (Statement)
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