Europe must learn to leave with Fire, 22 January 2026

Policy Briefing: “Europe Must Learn to Live with Fire”

January 22, 2026 | Nicosia, Cyprus

The European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) and the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts co-organized a high-level policy briefing and public discussion to present the findings of the landmark EASAC report, “Changing Wildfires in Europe.”

The event brought together scientists, policymakers, and environmental experts to discuss a paradigm shift in how the Mediterranean handles the escalating threat of wildfires.

Key Insights & Regional Impact:

  • A Call for Proactive Management: The briefing emphasized moving beyond reactive fire suppression toward risk-based land management. The central message was clear: Europe must transition from fighting fires to building resilience and fire adaptation.
  • Cyprus on the Front Line: The report highlights that the Mediterranean faces a rapid rise in fire frequency and intensity. Alarmingly, it notes that Europe is projected to lose an area equivalent to the entire landmass of Cyprus every year to wildfires.
  • Regional Collaboration via EMME-CCI: President of The Cyprus Institute, Prof. Stavros Malas, emphasized that wildfires are a top priority for the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate Change Initiative (EMME-CCI). Given that wildfires do not respect national borders, regional scientific cooperation is the only viable path forward.
  • The European Wildfire Hub: Discussions focused on the potential of a proposed European Wildfire Hub. This center would serve as a focal point for shared monitoring, advanced predictive modeling, and collaborative scenario development across the continent and the EMME region.

Official Links:

Powered by