The 7th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), held in Nairobi on December 12, 2025, adopted a landmark resolution on wildfire management, co-sponsored by India. The resolution was tabled against the backdrop of alarming global wildfire trends highlighted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which warns of a 14% rise in wildfire frequency and intensity by 2030 and up to a 50% increase by the end of the century.
Wildfires have emerged as one of the most devastating consequences of climate change. In 2025 alone, major wildfire events were recorded across Canada, Greece, Australia, and parts of South America, collectively burning millions of hectares and releasing billions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. The UNEA-7 resolution calls on member states to invest in early warning systems, satellite-based fire monitoring, and community-level preparedness programs.
India has experienced a marked increase in forest fire incidents in recent years, particularly in states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan. The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has mapped over 36,000 fire-prone locations across the country using MODIS and VIIRS satellite data. India's co-sponsorship of the UNEA-7 resolution reflects its commitment to climate action and forest conservation under both domestic policies and international obligations such as the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The resolution emphasises integrated fire management approaches, combining traditional knowledge with modern technology. It also calls for international cooperation in firefighting equipment sharing, capacity building for developing nations, and inclusion of wildfire risk in national climate adaptation plans. For RPSC aspirants, this topic links environment (Paper II), international organisations, and Rajasthan's forest policy.