Fire Prevention and Response

Topic:
Country: Estonia
Delegate Name: Aaron Purrenhage

DATE: 11/20/2021
SUBMITTED TO: United Nations Developmental Programme
FROM: the Republic of Estonia
TOPIC: Fire Prevention and Response.

In a world of increasing temperatures, increasing droughts, and increasing scarcity of resources, the threats of fire and all the it consumes has become ever more real, and ever more devastating. The world is seeing more and more droughts, droughts that sap the water from rivers and from the pipes of fire fighters attempting to keep back the wildfires from torching our communities. During 2022 millions of acres had been burned by wildfires in the American State of California alone, which saw over 50,000 wildfire burn during that year. Fire is an all consuming danger that results in a scorched earth, but as well as sever air pollution that leaves whole regions nearly uninhabitable. These wildfire release large amounts of carbon dioxide, black carbon,, and ozone precursors into the atmosphere which can add to global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. For less-developed nations working to prevent fires can prove to be nearly impossible, since these nations are often already dealing with other pressing issues that stretch their governmental units thin. The United Nations Development Program understand that fire prevention and response is a pressing issues that will only become more important to pay attention to as the fires across the world continue to worsen.

In the nation of Estonia, wildfires prove to be a pressing issue despite their our efforts to alleviate these problems. Increasing funding in our fire response agencies like fire department and units who fight fires in more rural and forested areas have been greatly beneficial to our nations efforts to combat wildfires and their destruction. Our Rescue board works in our nation to warn about fires, to rescue those afflicted and to fight the fires from burning. During this year of 2021 so far,626 forest and landscape fires have occurred in our nation of Estonia. Our patrols monitor our landscape to help spot fires and to predict where and when they might occur.

With all the damage these fires are doing to nations over the world, the United Nations Environment Programme needs to work diligently to set out a plan to address and prevent these fires from destroying so much of our communities. Fires do naturally happen, but the vast majority of these fires volatility have been exasperated by climate change, and rising temperatures. We see droughts in regions like the American West that cause wildfires to spread more rapidly. Estonia believe that the UNEP can help nations and their people work to stop these fires by educating the public masses on ways to prevent fires from happening, and to implement designs in infrastructure and building that can help prevent fires from spreading. Proper forest management is a vital tool in preventing forest fires from becoming too severe. Removing underbrush that acts like kindling can drastically help reduce the fuel of these flames. Prescribed burns are also a useful too to prevent wildfires from growing out of control. Estonia is committed to working with other nations and the global community to help aid areas affected by fire, and to help prevent their damage from occurring.

Sources Cited:
https://news.err.ee/1608281529/high-risk-fire-hazard-declared-for-four-estonian-counties-starting-sunday
https://www.rescue.ee/en
https://ctif.org/country-member/estonia
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjS743b2bL0AhXEkIkEHaIHB00QFnoECAMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgfmc.online%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F19-IFFN-30-Estonia-2.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3lFQx-vsJIvNFCNqdvWuWO

Country: India
Delegate Name: Ricardo Pastor

Ricardo Pastor
India
United Nations Development Programme
Fire Prevention and Response
Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy

On the news, fires have been a familiar story. The reason being is climate change. As the world gets hotter and hotter, dry areas such as California are more vulnerable to fires: because if there is one tiny spark, it can easily set off a wildfire. These wildfires are not kind to our ecosystems, as they destroy homes, wildlife habitats, and timber. As a side effect, it pollutes the environment by emitting carbon dioxide. The smoke emitted by fire is always a health concern, as it is unhealthy for humans.

India recognizes the tragedies of families who lose their homes due to these wildfires and other events. India plans to extend their fire program by 2040 and make sure its citizens are safe. With the development of more high-rise buildings, they were taking into consideration the dangers of fires, implementing new fire prevention systems to further secure themselves.

The committee should look favorable on improving the conditions for firefighters and fire teams as fires are a force that must be combatted as climate change soars throughout the world by enforcing new policies to add fire prevention systems to buildings and taking precautions of what buildings should be made out of.

Sources:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/pnw/page/fire-effects-environment
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/natural-disasters/fire-safety-59773
https://insights.samsung.com/2021/02/24/four-critical-issues-facing-fire-services-today-2/

Country: Ukraine
Delegate Name: Sarah Zaruba

Over time the Earth has been slowly heating up due to climate change, causing raging wildfires worldwide. Although fire traditionally is used for clearing out land and heating, these events can become life threatening very quickly. Today, the climate impacts our environment and health more than it has ever before. The societal impacts of fire include the destruction of homes and buildings, rising evacuation costs, and death of humans and animals. Fire prone areas face destruction of economic stability and lose their precious land. Perhaps most importantly, areas affected by these fires are vulnerable to ecological destruction. Fires can pollute the air and water, accelerate climate change, and rob wildlife of their natural habitats. Solving the wildfire issue varies greatly by region because of diverse cultural, social and economic factors, and especially differences in ecosystems.
While the total number of fires each year differs due to weather, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reports between 36,000-56,000 fires in open ecosystems burning across the country. In 2019, wildfires caused nearly 100 deaths in addition to financial losses of about UAH 3.4 billion (US 120.6 million). Fire safety and prevention is constantly developing in Ukraine by using new technology like fire suppression systems and evacuation alerts for communities. In our landmines Ukraine had 5 different explosive fires go off due to hazards inside the mine, killing many Ukrainian citizens. Ukraine has addressed that the two main factors for our growing amount of fires: climate change and human activity, which are difficult to stop. Especially concerning is the spread of wildfires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone as research has shown that fires in highly contaminated areas can resuspend radioactive elements in smoke plumes that can get carried along long distances.
The country of Ukraine recommends that we quickly implement both short term and long term effective solutions to prevent wildfires. Long-term prevention strategies are to preserve natural areas that take in carbon dioxide like forests. Short-term plans include constantly reporting the drought-prone areas to keep them fire-free. Ukraine plans to find solutions that will ease wildfires and ensure a safe country.

Country: Tunisia
Delegate Name: Nikhil Talla

Uncontrollable fires can cause many dilemmas, ranging from environmental damage to loss of human life. Fires can pollute the air and water, accelerate climate change, and take the natural habitats of wildlife. For humans, fires can destroy homes and infrastructure, cause negative effects on physical and mental health, and destroy economic stability. The smoke from fires causes pollution and even respiratory illness. It is imperative to prevent fires and respond to them in order to avoid tragedies.

In Tunisia, temperature levels are rising. Due to the dry and hot conditions, there is an incredibly high risk of fires. Hot winds from the south intensify the situation, making fires easier to spread. Most of Tunisia is desert, lowering the risk of fires, but most of northern Tunisia is a forest. Due to this, Tunisia has mostly forest wildfires. In 2020, nearly 440 square kilometers (170 square miles) of forest were destroyed by fire. According to UNOCHA, a fire broke out in the pine forests of Tunisia on 24 July 2021. This fire lasted three days and destroyed over 1000 hectares of forest. The Tunisian National Institute of Meteorology (NIM) believes that high temperatures are to blame for the cause of this event. To respond to wildfires, the Tunisian army, civil management, and forest management group cooperate. This year alone, 17,599 hectares of forest burned, compared to last the 12 years’ average of 6,257. Most of these fires are believed to have been caused by climate change. To help with the damages of the fires, a subsidiary of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Tunisian Red Cross (TRC) is providing housing units and psychological support to families who have lost their homes. To solve this issue, Tunisia joined the United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty focused on combating dangerous human interference with the climate system. Tunisia wants to solve this issue to protect lives, property, and the environment.

Uncontrolled fires can be prevented by controlling climate change. Tunisia promotes the United Nations’ work to help stop climate change. Reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere helps reduce the occurrence of wildfires. Tunisia is open to any solution that addresses the issue of climate change, uncontrolled fires, and the response to them.

Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Carly Clos

Country: United Kingdom
Committee: UNDP
Topic: Fire Prevention and Response
Delegate: Carly Clos
School: Williamston High School

Wildfires and uncontrolled burning have been on the rise in several parts of the world over the previous year. Human fatalities, devastation of houses and infrastructure, evacuation expenses, and poor effects on mental and physical health are among societal consequences of flames. Smoke and contaminants from uncontrolled fires cause greater respiratory sickness in persons who live in the impacted region. Fires may contaminate the air and water, hasten climate change, and devastate wildlife habitats. To successfully prevent and respond to fires, the reasons of the recent increase in fires must be addressed; climate change and human activity are two of the many contributions to the increased magnitude and severity of fires in recent years. The consequences of climate change provide ideal circumstances for fires to burn; global climate trends forecast longer dry seasons, more droughts, and a rise in aridity, which leads to drier vegetation and a longer fire season.

Days with “exceptional danger” of wildfires will become more frequent across the UK by 2080, while those with a “very high” risk of wildfires may increase dramatically, especially in usually wetter sections of the nation. Over an eight-year span (2010-2018), fire and rescue services in England responded to about 260,000 wildfire incidents (an average of about 32,000 incidents per annum). The fire that destroyed Grenfell Tower in June 2017 was one of the biggest recent tragedies in the United Kingdom. Seventy-two persons were killed. In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 governs general fire safety. In Scotland, general fire safety regulations are addressed in Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, which is supplemented by the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

The government has revised the National Adaptation Program (NAP) and remains dedicated to addressing the consequences of climate change on the United Kingdom. This is exactly what the adaption strategy does. It offers to teach fire departments and land management in wildfire avoidance, to create a “forestland wildfire risk and fuel map,” and to improve wildfire forecast systems. The United Kingdom reinforces the notion of an EU Fire Safety Network. Among the national Fire Safety Networks goals in fire prevention are: community fire safety programs; fundamental facts in statistics and experiences; yearly fire status report; other occurrences and fire brigade involvement; and a functional European network among national fire authorities. To combat the growing problem of wildfires, the United Kingdom is advocating collaboration with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, The Netherlands, and Greece.

Sources:
https://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/civil_protection/civil/prote/pdfdocs/fire_prevention.pdf
https://www.carbonbrief.org/in-depth-how-the-uk-plans-to-adapt-to-climate-change
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40301289
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fire-safety-bill
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/779468/FC_Wildfire_Statistics_for_England_2009_10_to_2016_17.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/24/rising-risk-of-wildfires-across-uk-from-climate-crisis-scientists-warn
https://glica.org/glimun-2021-conference/glimun-2021-committees/fire-prevention-and-response/

Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Seth Verburg

United Nation Development Program
Fire Prevention and Response
United States of America
Seth Verburg
Forest Hills Eastern

The United Nations Development Program is deeply concerned about uncontrolled wildfires and how we can prevent them. Over the past couple of decades, there has been a surge in wildfires around the world and in the U.S. Especially in the last couple of years. 2020 provided 6 of California’s 20 biggest and most devastating wildfires last year. The UNDP wants to do everything we can to stop the spread of wildfires across the world. After devastating wildfires have destroyed so much around the world, it is imperative for member states to respond to this pressing issue.

The United States recognizes this as a huge problem as we have already had 6.5 million acres burned this year alone by wildfires and about 101 million acres in 2020. Although fires can naturally be good for the environment and keep an ecosystem healthy, the United States wants to find a way to control these fires and not let them cause any major damage to people’s lives. In our own country, we try to put down fires as fast as they come about. Many brave Americans risk their life and we help victims of the fire financially to help make up for all they have lost. We try to keep the general public educated as well so citizens themselves can lessen the chance of a beastly wildfire coming about. And globally, the United States has been helping to fight fires as well. The United States has already helped Australia to help combat its devastating wildfire in 2020 as much as we could, sending funds and the best firefighting resources in the world. The United States will do more to fight against fires alongside the UNDP, as we have already funded millions per year towards UNDP causes and are interested in developing new techniques to fight fires, endangering fewer lives, and causing less damage to homes and lives.

One good way to stop wildfires is to start smaller, controlled fires deliberately. This is the best tactic to prevent wildfires from occurring. It could also be useful to prohibit any objects prone to start fires from large areas that could be in danger of a fire. And lastly, keep citizens educated and help them know what to do if a wildfire is starting to potentially stop it or report to authorities before it gets out of hand. The U.S. strongly recommends these ideas and is in full support of wildfire prevention.

Country: France
Delegate Name: Alejandro Alvarez

Country: France
Delegate Name: Alejandro Alvarez
Committee: UNDP
Topic: Fire Prevention and Response
School: Kalamazoo Central Highschool

Wildfires are known to be very destructive forces of nature that disrupt transportation, affect communication, and damage power sources. More than 50,000 wildfires occurred across the world in 2020 alone. The one difference between wildfires and other natural disasters is that they are almost always a result of human activity. Climate Change is also a leading cause of these wildfires as well but we must not forget that humans are the biggest contributors to the rapid progression of climate change. In recent years, France has been continuously met with wildfires because of the waves of extreme heat in Europe due to global warming. Although these fires have been more tame compared to the wildfires in locations such as the West Coast of the United States, they still lead to a large amount of property damage and permanent damage to wildlife that the citizens of France can’t afford to keep losing. France believes that the UNDP should take the steps necessary to properly prevent wildfires and come up with an effective way to control them.

Wildfires are most frequent in the Mediterranean region of France, accounting for 67% of all the land burned in the country between 2001 and 2016. In order to reduce the amount of wildfires in this region and other regions of France, a new fire policy was established in 1994. This policy improved the methods used to prevent fires, increased the surveillance of forests, and reduced all ignitions to prevent the enlargement of fires. This policy was successful, reducing the amount of land burned per year in France. However, this could not prevent the damage caused by the larger kind of wildfires so more work needs to be done in regards to wildfire prevention. France has also committed itself to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 to reduce global warming, one of the leading causes of wildfires. In terms of actually fighting the fires, France has several civilian fire services organized by the French Ministry of the Interior adding up to 250,000 firefighters.

In order to allow for proper fire safety and prevention, France proposes creating a force of firefighters similar to the UN peacekeepers to help out countries and regions overwhelmed by fires. This force would operate like a foreign nation sending firefighters to help put out a fire in another country, similar to the way that Mexico sent firefighters to the United States to help put out Californian wildfires in 2020. France would like to work with other nations in the EU and the Mediterranean Region as they share similar issues in relation to the frequency of wildfires with the southern region of France in order to achieve this proposal.

Country: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Delegate Name: Akshat Jain

Country: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Committee: UN Development Program (UNDP)
Topic: Fire Prevention and Response
Delegate: Akshat Jain
School: Forest Hills Northern High School

Wildfires, and actions to stop/prevent them are major issues in today’s society. 90% of wildfires are caused by humans. In addition, worldwide, wildfires are responsible for higher than 33,000 deaths each year. From the West Coast of the United States, all the way across the globe to Australia, the occurrence of wildfires have increased rapidly. To put the size of these fires into perspective, the yearly fires are about half the size of the US, larger than the area of India, and about 4 times the size of Nigeria. According to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, at least 470 wildfire disasters – incidents that claimed 10 or more deaths or affected 100 or more people – have been reported globally, causing at least $120 billion in damages. In addition, climate change is producing droughts and heatwaves, which, in turn, creates dry vegetation that fuels large fires. St. Vincent and the Grenadines urges the UN to increase firefighting reservoirs, produce more infrastructure, machinery, and equipment, as well as put more attention on the issue of climate change, because if climate change persists, then wildfires will as well.

Being an island nation, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is quite small. Because of this, any fire could completely decimate SVG, and the development of SVG. With an international airport to enhance tourism, the need for a well integrated fire and emergency relief system is of paramount concern. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has suffered many devastating fires such as the destruction of a school building. More recently, census records housed in the main government building were also lost due to a fire. Although St. Vincent and the Grenadines was able to make a partnership with Martha’s Vineyard (MV) (an island in Massachusetts) with a focus on firefighting and prevention, ultimately, the partnership focused far more on exchanges in education, fisheries, artisan development and tourism development. However, the issue of a large occurrence of wildfires is very trivial in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The issue of paramount importance is the response to these fires, as SVG does not have sufficient resources to combat and respond to fires when they occur. St. Vincent and the Grenadines urges the UNDP to aid with resources to help bolster and ameliorate the firefighting and prevention.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines requests the UNDP to implement a program similar to that of USAID (a program that assists with civilian foreign aid and development assistance). SVG believes that a program similar to USAID will help lead development, not just with SVG, but also with other countries in need of assistance, like Mexico and Australia. St. Vincent and the Grenadines advises that if such a program is implemented, then awareness be raised, an increase in spending, and more resources available to the countries. Additionally, SVG proposes a refocus on land use policies and incentives for better land-use planning and management and strengthen stakeholder coordination and preparedness. St. Vincent and the Grenadines believes that with all of this together, a better future will be guaranteed.

Works Cited:

“Climate Change Is a Burning Global Issue.” World Wildlife Fund, 2015, www.worldwildlife.org/stories/climate-change-is-a-burning-global-issue.
Haddad, Mohammed. “Mapping Wildfires around the World.” Www.aljazeera.com, www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/19/mapping-wildfires-around-the-world-interactive.
“How Governments Can Take Action to Limit Extreme Wildfires.” Blogs.worldbank.org, blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/how-governments-can-take-action-limit-extreme-wildfires.
planet, heart Founded Conserve Energy Future with the sole motto of providing helpful information related to our rapidly depleting environment Unless you strongly believe in Elon Musk‘s idea of making Mars as another habitable, and do remember that there really is no ’Planet B’ in this whole universe. “Causes, Effects and Brilliant Solutions to Growing Problem of Wildfires.” Conserve Energy Future, 31 Aug. 2015, www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-and-solutions-of-wildfires.php#:~:text=Human%20beings%20are%20the%20number.
R E P O R T FIRE PREVENTION and FIRE FIGHTING in ST. VINCENT and the GRENADINES (SVG). 2013.
“Vineyarders Rally in Humanitarian Relief Effort for St. Vincent.” The Vineyard Gazette – Martha’s Vineyard News, vineyardgazette.com/news/2021/04/15/vineyarders-rally-humanitarian-relief-effort-st-vincent. Accessed 24 Nov. 2021.
Wildfires: Interesting Facts and F.A.Q.

Country: Nigeria
Delegate Name: Hope Orban

United Nations Development Program
Fire Prevention and Response
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Hope Orban
Forest Hills Eastern

Forest fires ravage our Earth. Recently, in the years 2019 and 2020, Australia has struggled with devastating bushfires that have damaged plants and animals in that region. According to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, these bushfires burned more than 46 million acres. At least 3,500 homes and many other buildings were destroyed. The Australian bushfires directly killed 34 people and continue to take lives with people dying due to smoke inhalation. This is only one example of the disastrous fires which have destroyed the environment. Around the world, fires are occuring in places where they were previously uncommon, like rainforests and tropical areas. Fires greatly affect both a nation’s economy as well as land wildlife. Massive amounts of money are used to repair damages caused by fires. Also, fire fighting teams are very expensive. In 2018, the state of California allocated $44.28 billion dollars for firefighting. With the rise of climate change, the many problems caused by fire continue to grow worse.

Nigeria is home to many different climates. In the dry season, savanna brush land and forests in Nigera are vulnerable to fires. During these dry periods, vegetation is drained of moisture. This results in masses of flammable material that can readily ignite. In Nigeria, burning is a cultural tradition used for clearing land, waste disposal, and livestock management. Wildfires caused by human activities occur, but most fires begin due to environmental factors like the dry winds that blow through the country between December and March. The ability to fight fires in rural areas of Nigeria is extremely poor. Well-maintained fire fighting units only exist in the urban areas of Nigeria. Rural areas of the country have ill-equipped and unorganized policies for responding to fires. Accoring to local sources in Nigeria, 2021 fires in the Cross River State were some of the worst fires they’ve experienced. In order to combat the issues posed by forest fires, the country has set many goals to combat fires in Nigeria such as restoring forests. According to the UN, Nigeria has set a goal to increase forest cover from 6% to 25% by 2030. They’ve implemented action plans and programs to help the poverty of forest-dependent people, especially bringing them to new sustainable jobs. This will reduce their dependency of products needed from the forests. Nigeria has also implemented systems that enforce punishments for illegal logging. All of these measures will help Nigeria combat climate change, effectivly helping reduce fires in their nation.

In order to continue preventing and respoding to forest fires, Nigera asks for better resources in rural areas to avert, detect, and address fires. Nigeria wants to work with surrounding countries with dry seasons that result in fires and who also need better resources to address said fires. Additionally, Nigeria would like to continue making goals and implementing innitaives to restore forests in the country. Also, it would like to promote and create more policies and innitavties to manage poverty in the country, especially with forest-dependent peoples. Nigeria hopes to continue to improve it’s prevention and response to devastating fires in the nation.

Country: Pakistan
Delegate Name: Isabella Frederick

In recent years various countries have experienced record high levels of wildfires. These uncontrollable wildfires create a number of issues including destruction of homes, destruction of ecosystems, poor air quality, and loss of human life. Not only do these wildfires cause destruction and pollution, but offer economic issues as well. Pakistan, being a country with a high wildfire hazard, believes that preventing and responding to wildfires is essential. Pakistan, like many countries, has recently experienced an increase in forest fires and wildfires, leading to the creation of different procedures and regulations regarding fire prevention and response.
In 2018, Pakistan experienced an uproar of forest fires causing the destruction of 1.2 million trees. Aside from the destruction of trees, these forest fires also caused some economic trouble, leading Pakistan to put a ban on fireworks, campfires, and many other activities in hopes of lessening the risk for forest fires. Also in 2018, when there was an increase in forest fires and wildfires, the IUCN helped establish a forest fire control system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This control system provides more fire fighting tools as well as items that ensure safety such as safety helmets, safety goggles, and first aid boxes. In September of 2021, the UN issued their concern towards wildfires. In response to these wildfires the UN plans to create an agenda for climate change and forests, international collaboration, and involvement at a national level. Since this was fairly recent, there have been no effects seen in Pakistan however in years to come Pakistan hopes to have the issue of wildfires and forest fires under control.
Pakistan plans to continue with the regulations already in place but would also like to create more thorough regulations, hopefully further preventing fires. Pakistan also believes that communities should have the tools to properly respond to a fire. With more thorough regulations and communities having the ability to properly respond to fires Pakistan feels that there will be a significant decrease in forest fires and wildfires. Pakistan would like to work with nations who have experienced high levels of wildfires in recent years such as the U.S. Working with countries who have been hit hard by this recent spike in wildfires may help Pakistan to create better and more efficient ways to deal with fire prevention and response.

Country: Germany
Delegate Name: Muskan Rekhani

United Nations Development Programme
Fire Prevention and Response
Federal Republic of Germany
Muskan Rekhani
Forest Hills Eastern

Wildfires and uncontrolled fires are becoming a greater and greater problem and must be managed. First, they cause instant destruction locally. They destroy land, property, and lives and it is only getting worse with global warming. However, it is not just damaged in that one area but fires cause international problems. Fires in one area can send smoke across international borders and ultimately increase greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a non-profit organization that has the purpose of eliminating death, injury, economic, and property loss due to fires. They do this by minimizing the risk and effects of fire by establishing criteria for building, processing, design, service, and installation around the world. Their Fire Sprinkler Initiative encourages the use of fire sprinklers at home by increasing awareness of them and adopting local model or ordinance codes. Their Firewise Communities program is all about local solutions involving homeowners, community leaders, developers, planners, firefighters, and many more.

Fire destruction is an issue in Germany. For example, in 2018 there were 1,708 forest fires which is 4 times as many as there were in 2017. So far in 2021 14,000 square meters of land were burned and the most square meters of land they ever had burned was 150,000 square meters. Germany has a rule that if an area has a population greater than 80,000-100,000 people, they are required to have a professional fire-fighting force. If the area is smaller they must have volunteer forces or a full-time force. This is becoming a problem however because the number of their volunteers is dropping. While this system is effective, these fire forces suffer from labor shortages. Although Germany may have struggles in the future right now in the present they can help others. For example, they helped Greece in times of fire destruction recently by sending 221 rescue workers. The German government has spoken out about Brazil’s fire program before. Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Brazil needs to call for international action to protect the Amazon rainforest because it is needed for our whole globe.

Germany proposes the United Nations try their method of a firefighter volunteer force. Although it may be a problem in the future for Germany, it has worked for many years. And as Germany did for Greece, if countries are able to provide help, they must. The United Nations need to realize that when one country is on fire it affects the whole world. To protect our world, people need to volunteer to help their countries and countries need to volunteer to help other countries.

Country: Viet Nam
Delegate Name: Olivia Bryan

Country: Viet Nam
Committee: UNDP (ECOSOC)
Topic: Fire Prevention and Response
Delegate: Olivia Bryan
School: Williamston High School

The issue of wildfires globally has recently been a pressing concern especially in light of recent climatic events. Each year around 33,000 people die due to wildfires. In addition, wildfires burn approximately 865 million acres of land every year. The money spent to rehabilitate the land and buildings taken down in each fire can reach the billions. For certain countries this can be devastating to their economy. In 2020 the world saw one of the worst wildfires seasons its seen in a very long while. The United Nations must decide whether or not to take action against this growing threat.

Vietnam’s Investment in this issue is high due to the fires that burn several thousand hectares of land each year. Vietnam feels that the fire prevention and response topic is an issue that should be discussed at length. Vietnam has a firefighting system in place and uses it to its full extent. As well as the firefighting system Vietnam has a series of laws that state the regulation and plans for its fire safety and prevention. Vietnam is prepared to improve their firefighting system in order to prevent future disasters.

In response to this issue Vietnam would propose bettering its internal fire prevention system and plans on working towards a goal of a safer system. Vietnam believes other countries should make this a main policy as part of a global movement to better the future of the world.Vietnam asks the U.N. to work together to create a global agreement to make fire prevention and response a main focus throughout the world. Vietnam would be interested in working with countries such as the U.S, Brazil, and Indonesia who have also been hit extremely hard by the fire’s.

Country: Mexico
Delegate Name: Andrew Dylenski

United Nations Development Program
Fire Prevention and Response
United Mexican States
Andrew Dylenski
Forest Hills Eastern

Internationally, wildfires and uncontrolled fires cause 33,000 deaths each year. These fires are caused by climate change and human activity. Loss of human life, destructions of homes and infrastructures, respiratory illnesses from the smoke, destruction of economic stability, are just some of the consequences. Fires also destroy many ecosystems. Humans are the ones igniting the fires, so they are responsible for changing ecosystems, (and using fire for other purposes such as agriculture, including recreational uses like campfires or fireworks). Human activity is causing climate change, which has a huge part in this crisis. Recently, in June 2021, the most consequential wildfire occurred in the taiga forests in Siberia and the eastern regions of Russia burning over 200,000 square kilometers of land caused by jet stream and climate change. These disasters emerging in the 21st century due to the negative effects of climate change. Many international organizations have helped with these wildfires and wildfire response, such as the Global Wildlife Fire Network who is taking initiatives to promote collaboration and exchange of scientific development of data and training in fire management and research. The United Mexican States urges the UNDP to find a solution for fire prevention and a solid response to these wildfires.

Recently, Mexico has had a difficult year regarding wildfires. The National Fire Protection Association discovered that from the quarter of 2021 there have been 2,871 wildfires resulting in 300 square miles of burned land. In 2013 Mexico had about 4,431 wildfires causing 310 square miles of burned land. It is estimated that by the end of 2021, this year will be the largest wildlife period since 1998. One of the causes of the wildfires in Mexico is abundant heat and drought. Also, the federal government decided to cut budget funds from the National Forestry Commission of Mexico which had the goal of supporting, promoting and developing the conservation and restoration of Mexico’s forests. The final reason for the increase of wildfire in Mexico is human intervention agriculturally or for recreational actions. The United States and Mexico possess the Border Agency Fire Council(BAFC) which protects the border from wildfires. With all these problems facing the Mexicans regarding wildfires such as the lessened funding for the organizations in Mexico working to help with wildfires, Mexico needs aid to help pay for these costs for resources to help deal with and prevent wildfires.

Wildfire prevention and response is a problem with increasing intensity present day. Climate change and human intervention have caused many wildfires worldwide and this is attainable for many wealthy countries. But, for other countries not as wealthy, it is difficult to access resources to deal with fires because of the lack of funding or government intervention. Mexico urges that countries or governments seek help from international organizations such as the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which specializes in response to these disasters worldwide. Countries in need of aid should also seek financial aid from surrounding nations that have the money to help. Nations should teach their citizens to use a composter instead of burning debris or seek help right away when there’s a faulty power line down. Mexico advocates for any resolution that uses international help from organizations and wealthy nations to access resources to prevent and respond to these disasters.

Country: Colombia
Delegate Name: Reese Bower

United Nations Development Program
Fire Prevention and Response
The Republic of Columbia
Reese Bower
Forest Hills Eastern

Recently, the occurrence of wildfires has exploded internationally. From raging fires in Australia to California, climate change and human carelessness have led to disasters. The effects of these fires range from the loss of human life to the destruction of important wilderness to the decrease of economies. In Colombia, this is especially important, as it houses both part of the Amazon rainforest and dry, flat stretches of land. Internationally, around 3% of total forest land is burned annually. The United Nations recognizes this as a problem, yet actions have yet to be taken. To solve this complicated problem, countries will have to provide solutions for many contributing issues, including climate change, sustainable farming, and management of these fires.

With both a large river ecosystem and multiple deserts, Colombia is a very biodiverse country. Additionally, Colombia is home to 10% of the Amazon rainforest, which in total houses 10% of the world’s biodiversity. Rainforests are not accustomed to fires and cannot handle them as well as other ecosystems, so it is crucial to protect Colombia and its bordering countries. According to Nasa, fires have burned almost 30,000 acres in Colombia in January alone. Controlled burning can be an asset for fire protection; however, tropical forests such as the Amazon are sensitive and would require careful management. Colombia has received aid from the United States in a program that provides supplies and skills needed to manage wildfires.

Colombia advises UNDP to implement a program similar to that of USAID, where the United States Forest Service is sharing expertise and resources with Colombia. This program has trained Colombian youth in sustainable ways of living, advanced scientific methods of understanding wildfires, and supported an integrated program for fire management. Carrying out this program at an international level would carry the aforementioned effects to all countries and would benefit small countries that lack the resources to address wildfire problems. Additionally, Colombia proposes adopting similar fire management policies to Venezuela, such as controlled patchwork burns and educating indigenous people about fire safety.

Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Madelyn Sheridan

Maddy Sheridan
Royal Oak High School
UNDP
Delegate from Russia

Wildfires are a serious problem that needs to be fixed. 87 percent of wildfires are caused by humans and nearly all of those can be prevented. Wildfires cause harm to human beings and the environment. Inhaling smoke from wildfires allows smoke particles to get into your lungs which can cause bad respiratory health in the future like respiratory infections and an increased risk of asthma. As for the environment, wildfires release excess greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide which will exacerbate the effects of climate change. When wildfires happen in the arctic Russia will typically just leave them alone unless they pose a threat to human settlements. Climate change has only made wildfires more and more common so to help prevent wildfires we can plant trees that will absorb emissions from fossil fuels. There are bands in place to help prevent forest fires but they are often broken. For example, the ban on burning grass is violated frequently. Russia needs to educate people so they will follow bans and help prevent wildfires in the future. The forest management in Russia needs to be fully updated instead of the “chaotic” amendments that have happened over the past several years. An update to Russia’s forest management hasn’t happened yet because there is not enough state funding and there is a very small interest from the private sector. Educating the public about forest fires as well as a system for monitoring the causes and different types of forest fires would help prevent wildfires. There is no one system for fighting wildfires in Russia and the systems created during soviet times are on the verge of collapse. Russia’s policy of preventing and responding to wildfires is to only respond when they pose a threat to human development and fully remodeling the way Russia manages its forests and monitoring forest fires when they happen and working together with the public have been called for.

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