Experts Share Insight On Climate Change Impact On Forest Fires And Carbon Neutrality For Chile

The damages caused by the mega-fires of the last season have been extensive. In addition to the deaths of 26 people, an additional dimension that must be considered is the greenhouse gas emissions that they generate, and which are directly related to climate change. According to professors Horacio Gilabert and Francisco Meza, both from the UC Center for Global Change, “one or a few fire seasons like the current one is enough for all efforts to decarbonize the economy, afforestation, restoration, and management of native forests are not enough.” to comply with a trajectory that leads us to achieve carbon neutrality”.

“The 2022-2023 season, with more than 400,000 hectares affected as a result of a series of mega-fires, will probably go down in history as the 2nd-largest area of ​​fires on record (1963-1964). The damage is enormous, starting with the most important thing: these fires have caused the death of 26 Chileans. Additionally, our communities, biodiversity, natural and cultural heritage, and rural and urban infrastructure have been directly affected.

The latest mega-fires have directly affected our communities, biodiversity, natural and cultural heritage, and rural and urban infrastructure.

An additional dimension that must be considered regarding the damages caused by these mega-fires are the greenhouse gas emissions they generate, and which are directly related to climate change. When observing the trajectory of total greenhouse gas emissions in Chile since 1990, it is possible to verify that the maximum and minimum of these total emissions closely follow the emissions associated with forest fires. As an example, it can be pointed out that the national inventory of greenhouse gases recorded in 2017 (the year of the January-February megafires) that the forests that captured an average (1990-2016) of 66.4 million tons of CO2 up to that year equivalent, captured only 11.7 million tons of CO2eq. It is also possible to identify other years with high levels of emissions: 1998, 2012 and 2015, which correspond to years where large-scale fires occurred. In the context of Chile’s commitments to achieve a carbon neutral economy by 2050, this type of event generates a significant setback. One or a few fire seasons like the current one is enough for all the efforts to decarbonize the economy, afforestation, restoration and management of native forests are not enough to comply with a trajectory that leads us to achieve carbon neutrality.

The experts affirm that it is essential to strengthen the capacity to prevent the occurrence and propagation of mega-fires through a comprehensive policy with adequate resources for early warning systems that consider environmental elements, environmental education plans, the ability to identify, prosecute and punish the responsible and detect sources early for their effective mitigation.

It is essential that our capacity to prevent its occurrence and spread be strengthened through a comprehensive policy with adequate resources for early warning systems that consider environmental elements, environmental education plans, the ability to identify, prosecute, and punish those responsible, and early detection of sources to its effective mitigation. The protection of forest heritage is a task of great proportions that cannot be forgotten once the last flames are extinguished”.