Climate change, desertification, and the challenge of wildfires: EU/Latin America

This international event brings together policymakers, scientists, environmental professionals, and civil society leaders from Europe and Latin America to address the interrelated challenges of climate change, soil degradation, and the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires. As both regions face mounting environmental pressures, the event aims to foster dialogue, share best practices, and promote collaborative solutions tailored to diverse ecological and socioeconomic contexts.

The main objective is to explore how climate change accelerates desertification processes and increases the risk of forest fires, while identifying effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. Participants will examine innovative technologies and community-based approaches that enhance resilience and sustainable land management, with a focus on how proactive investment in nature — through prevention, restoration and sustainable land use — delivers measurable returns for ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Special attention will be given to transcontinental cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the role of local communities in prevention and recovery initiatives.

Wildfires and desertification are not only environmental crises, they are a stark reminder of what is lost when investment in nature is deferred. Healthy forests, intact soils and functioning ecosystems are among the most powerful tools available for climate adaptation, carbon storage and community resilience. This event makes the case that preventing land degradation and restoring damaged ecosystems is one of the highest-return investments a society can make, for people, for economies and for the planet. The EU-Latin America dimension reflects the understanding that investing in nature is a global imperative, and that solutions developed in one region can inform and strengthen action in another.

The event is designed for a broad audience, including government representatives, researchers, NGOs, environmental advocates, students, and private-sector stakeholders interested in sustainability and climate action.

The programme also features case study presentations highlighting successful nature-positive initiatives from both regions, as well as a collaborative session focused on developing actionable recommendations for investment in prevention, restoration and sustainable forest management — translating shared knowledge into concrete commitments that can guide policy, mobilise finance and support communities on the ground.

This event offers a dynamic platform to deepen understanding, inspire cooperation, and drive forward practical solutions to some of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time.