GFMC AND THE OSCE

OSCE and GFMC Activities in Southeast Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia
2006-2023

Introduction

The involvement of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) in the field of wildfire management was initiated by the OSCE-led Environmental Assessment Mission to fire-affected territories in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2006 and the Joint OSCE/UNEP Environmental Assessment Mission to Georgia in 2008. Both assessments showed that the damage caused by wildfires in the South Caucasus can partially be attributed to the absence of effective forest fire management systems. To assist the South Caucasus countries in enhancing their fire management capacities, the OSCE within the framework of the ENVSEC Initiative launched in 2009 the project “Enhancing National Capacities on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”. The project is conducted in partnership with the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) based in Germany. So far, the project has gone through three phases: first phase focused on national and regional trainings within the UNISDR Regional Southeast Europe/Caucasus Wildland Fire Network. In the second phase, forest fire vulnerability assessments were conducted in all three countries and at regional level a training workshop was held in Antalya, Turkey in 2010, with the participation of 30 representatives from the agencies of the South Caucasus countries responsible for fire management as well as selected Southeastern Europe countries. In the third phase, the project has been focusing on further developing and implementing national fire management policies in the countries of the region, supported by training activities and participation of countries in major international events and networks on wildfire management. The last activity in the South Caucasus was the OSCE support for the development of a Regional Fire Danger Rating System and organization of regional trainings.

In Eastern Europe the OSCE and GFMC supported the development of policies and fire management capabilities on terrain contaminated by radioactivity in Ukraine and Belarus in the frame of the project “Improving Radiological and Environmental Awareness in Territories affected by the Chernobyl Accident in Belarus and Ukraine with a Focus on Wildfire Management”. With the assistance of the Regional Eastern Europe Fire Monitoring Center (REEFMRC), which was set up by the GFMC with financial support of the Council of Europe in 2013, management procedures, guidelines and training materials have been developed.

In Central Asia the OSCE through GFMC supported the establishment of the Fire Management Resource Center – Central Asia Region (FMRC-CAR) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

With the 2014 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision 6/14 ”Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction”, the OSCE Executive Structures and the OSCE Office of Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) were tasked with DRR with emphasis on exchange of knowledge and experience in fire management.

Calendar of Activities 2006-2023

OSCE-led Environmental Assessment Mission to Fire-Affected Areas in Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia, 2-13 October 2006
OSCE-led Environmental Assessment Mission to Fire-Affected Areas in Nagorno-Karabakh, in Fulfillment of the UNGA Resolution A/RES/60/285 “The Situation in the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan: Revised Draft Resolution / Azerbaijan” (7 September 2006). Technical support of the mission by GFMC.

OSCE Media Reports on the Mission

Regional Wildland Fire Consultation on the Development of a Strategy on International Cooperation in Wildland Fire Management in the Regional South East European / Caucasus Wildland Fire Network (Sofia, Bulgaria, 18-21 March 2007)
The Regional Wildland Fire Consultation included representatives from Armenia and Georgia.



Participants of the Regional Wildland Fire Consultation

4th International Wildland Fire Conference (Sevilla, Spain, 12-18 May 2007)
Representatives from Armenia and Azerbaijan attended the Conference and the meeting of the UNISDR Global Wildland Fire Network.

Joint OSCE / UN mission to assess the fire damages in Georgia resulting from the armed conflict between Georgia and Russia in August 2008 (Tbilisi, Borjomi, Gori, South Ossetia, Georgia, 29 September – 5 October 2008)
The GMFC provided the technical support to the Joint OSCE / UN mission. Final mission report released by OSCE on 27 October 2008:

Regional Consultation 2008 of the UNISDR Regional Southeast Europe / Caucasus Wildland Fire Network (Skopje, Republic Macedonia, 4-6 December 2008)
The 2008 meeting of the network was held at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy. The main objectives of the meeting were the review of the fire situation in the region in 2007-2008 and the preparation for the 2009 Regional Seminar on “Fire Management on Terrain contaminated by Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), Land Mines and Radioactivity. Participating countries from the South Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

 

21-27 June 2009
Fire Management Training Course Southern Caucasus Region, conducted in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” (J.G. Goldammer, with L. Kondrashov, E. Bilgili and N. Nikolov); Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, Georgia.

Theoretical training and preparation of practical exercise with Georgian and Armenian participants.

Presentation of the fire behaviour analysis of the 2008 fires in Borjomi Gorge

Georgian and Armenian trainees with instructors of GFMC and Regional SE Europe / Caucasus Wildland Fire Network


Severe post-fire erosion in the fire-affected area in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park: On-site analysis of the consequences of the 2008 wildfires on ecosystem and secondary damages (erosion, sediment transport)


On-site information by Department of Forestry Ministry of Environment of Georgia

Application of the UNFAO Fire Management Voluntary Guidelines

Georgia: First National Round Table on Fire Management (Tbilisi and provinces of Georgia, 4 September 2009)
First National Round Table for the Establishment of a National Inter-Agency Fire Management Committee in Georgia, conducted in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”.


All Georgian Ministries and Agencies involved in fire management attended the Round Table

Advanced Seminar “Wildfires and Human Security: Fire Management on Terrain Contaminated by Radioactivity, Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Land Mines” (Kiev and Chornobyl, Ukraine, 6-8 October 2009)
This seminar addressed consequences of wildfires and fire management on contaminated terrain and was organized by the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) in the frame of the activities of the Council of Europe (CoE) and the joint project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” (Environment and Security Initiative [ENVSEC]), the UNISDR Regional Southeast Europe / Caucasus and Central Asia Wildland Fire Networks and the UNECE / FAO Team of Specialists on Forest Fire.


Seminar group in front of the sarcophagus of Chernobyl Reactor 4

Visit of the Chernobyl Fire Brigade

First regional Advanced Seminar in Wildland Fire Management (Antalya, Turkey, 1-4 March 2010)
This first regional Advanced Seminar in Wildland Fire Management was conducted by the General Directorate of Forestry (Orman Genel Müdürlügü, Ankara) in cooperation with and co-sponsored by Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC), the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) / United Nations University (UNU), Faculty of Forestry, Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi, (Trabzon, Turkey), the UNISDR Regional Southeast Europe / Caucasus Wildland Fire Network and the UNECE / FAO Team of Specialists on Forest Fire.


Prof. Bilgili explaining specialized forest fire fighting equipment

Fire specialists from 11 countries enjoying the exercise

Commander in Chief of the Turkish Firefighting Force: Mr. Nurettin Dogan

Georgia: Second Fire Management Training Course – Southern Caucasus Region (Borjomi National Park, Georgia, 12-14 July 2010)
The Second Fire Management Training Course – Southern Caucasus Region was conducted in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Phase Two – Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” and included a workshop for representatives of local communities addressing “Community Participation in Fire Management”.

Georgia: Second National Round Table on Fire Management (Aarhus Center, Tbilisi, Georgia, 15 July 2010)
The second National Round Table on Fire Management in preparation of a National Fire Management Policy for Georgia, was conducted in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Phase Two – Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”.


The Second National Round Table on Fire Management included participants from the Ministry of Environment (Forest Department, Protected Areas Department), Ministry of Internal Affairs (Emergency Department, Fire Department) and NGOs (WWF, IUCN), facilitated by the Aarhus Center / ENVSEC.

Armenia: Wildland Fire Field Assessmentand National Round Table on Fire Management (Yerevan, Khosrov Nature Reserve, Syunik Marz, Armenia, 19-22 September 2010)
A wildland fire field assessment and the first National Round Table on Fire Management in preparation of a National Fire Management Policy for Armenia was conducted in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Phase Two – Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”.


Visual impressions of the Armenia fire assessment mission: Monitoring of wildfires in the agricultural and pasture lands of Syuniq Region and consultations at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Yerevan (22 September 2010)

Third National Round Table on Fire Management (Aarhus Center, Tbilisi, Georgia, 13 December 2010)
The third National Round Table on Fire Management in preparation of a National Fire Management Policy for Georgia was held in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Phase Two – Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”.

OSCE Workshop on Confidence Building Measures (OSCE Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 30 May 2011)
At the OSCE) Workshop on Confidence Building Measures the GFMC presented the cooperative work in the South Caucasus, South Eastern Europe and Eastern Europe on behalf of OSCE through the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC).

Azerbaijan: Wildland Fire Assessment Mission and First National Round Table (Baku and field sites, Azerbaijan, 30 June – 6 July 2011)
The Wildland Fire Assessment Mission and First National Round Table for developing a National Fire Management Policy for Azerbaijan were conducted in the frame of Phase II of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” though GFMC and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).





Azerbaijan wildland fire field assessment and National Round Table on Fire Management (Baku, 5 July 2011)

Armenia: Fire Management Training Course, National Forest Fire Exercise and Second National Conference & Round Table (Kapan, Yerevan and field sites in Syunik Marz, Armenia, 10-15 September 2011)
Fire management training course, national forest fire exercise and the Second National Conference & Round Table for developing a National Fire Management Policy for Armenia were conducted in the frame of Phase II of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” through GFMC and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Regional Meeting of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) in the South Caucasus (Tbilisi, Georgia, 3-4 April 2012)
Regional Meeting of the ENVSEC Initiative in the South Caucasus, with GFMC / OSCE contribution on Phase III of the ENVSEC Initiative “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” through GFMC and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).







Delegations of the South Caucasus countries Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia Attended the regional workshop, which was addressing the OSCE / ENVSEC Project on Forest Fire Management in the South Caucasus.

Fourth National Round Table on Fire Management in preparation of a National Fire Management Policy for Georgia (Tbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2012)
Fourth National Round Table on Fire Management in preparation of a National Fire Management Policy for Georgia, conducted in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Phase Two – Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”.


The 4th National Round Table was held at Goethe Institute, Tbilisi, Georgia

Workshop “Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilient and Sustainable Development” (Tbilisi, Borjomi, Georgia, 30 May 2012)
The workshop “Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilient and Sustainable Development” for the South Caucasus Region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) included a field excursion addressing “Progress in Capacity Building in Fire Management at Community Level” in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.

Revisit of the forest site near Daba village, Borjomi, affected by wildfire in 2008.
General recovery by natural succession but some erosion and landslide threats visible

Workshop “International Response to Major Natural and Man-made Disasters: The Role of the OSCE” (Vienna, Austria, 17 September 2012)
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) Workshop “International Response to Major Natural and Man-made Disasters: The Role of the OSCE” included a GFMC contribution “Enhancing National and Regional Capacities on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction”.

Azerbaijan: Fire management training course, national forest fire exercise and Second National Round Table on Fire Management (Baku, Gabala, and field sites in Azerbaijan, 22-28 September 2012)
Fire management training course, national forest fire exercise and Second National Round Table on Fire Management, for developing a National Fire Management Policy for Azerbaijan, a contribution of Phase III of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” through GFMC and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), with participation of members of the UNECE/FAO team of Specialists on Forest Fire.

Armenia: Second National Round Table for developing a National Fire Management Policy for Armenia (Yerevan, Armenia, 3 December 2012)
The Second National Round Table for developing a National Fire Management Policy for Armenia, was a contribution of Phase III of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” through GFMC and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in cooperation with the UNECE/FAO Team of Specialists on Forest Fire.

Round Table participants included representatives of all agencies and civil society stakeholders concerned.

Armenia-Azerbaijan-Georgia: EuroFire Competency Standards and Training Materials published (June 2013)
The EuroFire Competency Standards and Training Materials are now translated to Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian and available for training of trainers and firefighters.


EuroFire Homepage: https://gfmc.online/eurofire/index-11.html. For the 22 language versions of the English base document click on the country flags

Armenia: National Training for Trainers in Fire Management and Third National Round Table for developing a National Fire Management Policy (Yerevan, Armenia, 20-22 August 2013)
National Training for Trainers in Fire Management and Third National Round Table for developing a National Fire Management Policy for Armenia, a contribution of Phase III of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” through GFMC and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).


Participants of the EuroFire Training of Trainers

Third National Round Table on Fire Management, co-chaired by General Vrezh Gabrielyan (Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia, Rescue Service) and GFMC

UNECE/FAO Regional Forum on Cross-boundary Fire Management (United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, 27-29 November 2013)
UNECE/FAO Regional Forum on Cross-boundary Fire Management, organized by the UNECE/FAO Team of Specialists on Forest Fire through its Coordinator – the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC), Germany, and supported by the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); with participation of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.


Participants of the UNECE/FAO Regional Forum on Cross-boundary Fire Management
Palais des Nations, Geneva,28-29 November 2013

22nd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum “Responding to Environmental Challenges with a View to Promoting Cooperation and Security in the OSCE Area” (Vienna, Austria, 27-28 January 2014)
Presentation of the OSCE-ENVSEC Project “Enhancing National Capacities on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” in Panel III “Improving environmental security: How can we reduce natural disaster risks? Lessons learned”.

Georgia: Fifth National Round Table on Fire Management
The Round table will address the preparation of the National Fire Management Policy for Georgia and the implementation plan, conducted in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” (Tbilisi, Georgia, 24 March 2014)

Georgia: Sixth National Round Table on Fire Management
In the presence of the Minister for Environment the Round table addressed the preparation of the National Fire Management Policy for Georgia and the implementation plan, conducted in the frame of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus” (Tbilisi, Georgia, 8 July 2014)

The Round Table was addressed by Ms. Khatuna Gogadlaze, Minister of Environment (right), and the Mr. Bidzina Giorgobiani, Head of the National Forestry Agency
Johann G. Goldammer, Director, GFMC
Ms. Catherine Nakashidze, OSCE.

GFMC-GIZ Georgia Mission Integrated Fire Management 2014-I
GFMC-GIZ Georgia Mission Integrated Fire Management I in the frame of the GIZ Programme “Sustainable Management of Biodiversity, South Caucasus” and in cooperation with the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”; Dedoplistskaro Municipality and Tbilisi, Georgia.


Burning of agricultural residues starts after terminating wheat harvest in July

Windbreak belts largely destroyed by fuelwood cutting in the 1990s are further degraded by fires spreading from agricultural burning

Close look at the fire and cutting effects in the windbreak belts

Protection of rehabilitated windbreaks by a ploughed firebreak.

GFMC-GIZ Georgia Mission Integrated Fire Management 2014-II
GFMC-GIZ Georgia Mission Integrated Fire Management II in the frame of the GIZ Programme “Sustainable Management of Biodiversity, South Caucasus” and in cooperation with the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”; Dedoplistskaro Municipality and Tbilisi, Georgia.


Main theme of activity: Training of safe agricultural burning practices (29 July 2014, Dedoplistskaro municipality)

22nd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum
Concluding meeting of the 22nd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum “Responding to Environmental Challenges with a View to Promoting Cooperation and Security in the OSCE Area”, with GMFC contributions to Session IV “A co-operative response to environmental challenges: OSCE experience and lessons learnt for the future” (with GFMC presentation “OSCE experiences in enhancing national capacities in fire management and wildfire disaster risk reduction”); and to the panel debate Session VII “The Role of the OSCE in responding to environmental challenges”; Prague, Czech Republic, 9-12 September 2014.





Opening of the Forum by with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swiss Foreign Minister and President of the Confederation Mr. Didier Burkhalter (upper left); Minister for Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic, Mr. Lubomir Zaorálek and the UN Secretary General Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Ms. Margareta Wahlström (upper right) Session IV – A Co-operative Response to Environmental Challenges: OSCE Experience and Lessons Learnt for the Future (upper) Session VII – Panel Debate – The Role of the OSCE in Responding to Environmental Challenges (lower) Photos: OSCE/Lubomir Kotek

Regional Fire Management Training for the South Caucasus and Western Balkans
The course is held in the frame of the OSCE/ENVSEC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”; Fire Management Training Center, Antalya, Turkey, 15-17 October 2014.


 
Forest fire exercise with heliborne hotshot crew, demonstration of hand tools and group photos of the firefighter trainers and resource persons from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, FYR of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, United States of America & GFMC / OSCE staff. Photos: Kadir A. Coskuner.

25-26 November 2014
Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative Partners Meeting, with OSCE/ENVSEC/GFMC project report “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”; Belgrade, Serbia.


Presentation “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”. Moderator:Jan Dusik, Director and Regional Representative, Regional Office for Europe, UNEP. Presenters: Esra Buttanri, Senior Environmental Affairs Adviser, OSCE and ENVSEC Regional Desk Officer for Southern Caucasus, and Johann Georg Goldammer, Director, Global Fire Monitoring Center. Photo: © Regional Environment Center (REC)

3-4 December 2014
2014 OSCE Ministerial Council; Basel, Switzerland. GFMC involvement in the preparatory process and the resulting Council Decision:

Summary Report 2013-2014
The Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities highlighted the fire management projects in the South Caucasus and in Mongolia in its biennial report:

Armenia: Approval of the National Fire Management Policy
On 22 January 2015 the Government of the Republic of Armenia published Decision #45-A “On Approval of the National Fire Management Policy and its Implementation Strategy and Plan of Actions for Plant Covered Areas in Forests, Specially Protected Nature Areas, Agricultural Lands and Settlements”. The Armenian and unofficial English translation of the Decree can be obtained from GFMC:

Georgia: Joint fire management meetings of ENVSEC and GIZ
Meeting with GIZ Programme “Sustainable Management of Biodiversity, South Caucasus” and in cooperation with the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”; Tbilisi, Georgia, 7 June 2015.

Meeting with the Ministry for Environment, Forestry Agency, on theNational Fire Management Policy for Georgia and the implementation plan, an activity of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”; Tbilisi, Georgia.

2015 Regional Meeting of the ENVSEC Initiative
The 2015 Regional Meeting of the ENVSEC Initiative in the South Caucasus included a report of the ENVSEC/OSCE/GFMC fire management project; Tbilisi, Georgia, 8-9 June 2015.

Opening of the Fire Management Resource Center-Central Asia Region (FMRC-CAR)
On 21 September 2015 the FMRC-CAR was officially opened – financed by the OSCE through support from the Government of Switzerland.

Prof. Dr. Goldammer (GFMC) giving a keynote speech on Wildland Fire Situation in the Central Asian Region
From left: Prof. Dr. Goldammer (GFMC), Deputy Minister M.Khurelsukh (MEGDT, Mongolia), Mr. Daniel Valenghi (Swiss Cooperation Office in Mongolia), Dr. B.Oyunsanaa (FMRC-CAR)
From left: Dr. Ts.Chuluunbaatar (MEGDT, Mongolia), Ms.Chuluuntsetseg (MEGDT), B.Oyunsanaa (FMRC-CAR), Prof. Dr. J.G.Goldammer (GFMC), Colonel J.Ganbaatar (LEU, Mongolia) Opening Remarks by Vice President, Prof. Dr. B.Boldgiv (NUM) and Director, Prof. Dr. N.Baatarbileg (NUM)

6th International Wildland Fire Conference
The 6th International Wildland Fire Conference was held with participation of member states of the UNISDR Regional SE Europe / Caucasus Wildland Fire Network; Pyeonchang, Republic of Korea, 12-16 October 2015.

  • Pyeongchang Declaration, Conference Statement, and Regional Statements (including regional session agendas, abstracts and posters of the Regional Wildland Fire Networks): https://gfmc.online/korea-2015.html

ENVSEC Workshop “Forest Fires in South Eastern Europe (SEE)”
On the occasion of the closing of the ENVSEC project “Addressing the Risks of Forest Fires in SEE” the workshop reviewed the regional report on forest fires in the SEE region by the Regional Fire Monitoring Center (RFMC). Participating countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia in Budapest, Hungary; Budapest, Hungary, 29 October 2015.

Workshop “Fire Danger Rating System for the South Caucasus”
The workshop “Fire Danger Rating System for the South Caucasus” was held in the frame and implementation of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”; National Environmental Agency, Tbilisi, Georgia, 29-30 October 2015.


Workshop instructors and facilitators (from left to right) Bill de Groot (Canadian Forest Service), Catherine Nakashidze (ENVSEC Initiative / OSCE) and Mike Wotton (Canadian Forest Service)

Example of a first product of the Fire Danger Rating System for the South Caucasus: Drought Code of 20 September 2009. Images: Courtesy OSCE

2016 ENVSEC Regional Meeting for South Eastern Europe (SEE)
The ENVSEC Regional Meeting for South Eastern Europe gathered the ENVSEC National Focal Points of the region as well as representatives of resource partners, academia, civil society and business. The theme “Forest Fires” was addressed in the Panel “Management of shared natural resources” by the head of the Regional SE Europe / Caucasus Fire Monitoring Center (RFMC); Tirana, Albania, 28-30 June 2015

Islamic Republic of Iran: National Round Table on Fire Management Training Course on Integrated Fire Management
The First International Fire Management Week in Iran was organized in Mazandaran, Kelarabad, 9-12 May 2016, hosted by the Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Management Organization (FRWO). The week included (a) a National Round Table on Fire Management and (b) the introduction of the EuroFire Competency Standards and Training Materials in Persian language. The Fire Management Week was conducted by the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC), the Regional Central Asia Fire Management Resource Center (RCAFMRC) and the Regional Fire Monitoring Center (RFMC), Secretariat of the UNISDR Regional South East Europe / Caucasus Wildland Fire Network.

Second Workshop “Fire Danger Rating System for the South Caucasus”
The second workshop “Fire Danger Rating System for the South Caucasus” was held in the frame and implementation of the ENVSEC / GFMC project “Enhancing National Capacity on Fire Management and Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction in the South Caucasus”. Following the initial workshop in Tbilisi in 2015 (see above) three days of technical workshops provided the background on fire danger rating systems, Canadian Fire Weather Index, and to train users to use the fire information system, as well as the Canadian fire information toolkit. This toolkit was designed to work with GIS software, calculates the Fire Weather Index system from a database, and creates raster output files to be placed in a map. Training in GIS and database software and the Fire Weather Index system was also included. The workshop took place at the Armenian State Hydrometeorological Agency, Yerevan, 12-14 October 2016.


Natasha Jurko and Alan Cantin (Canadian Forest Service) presenting the methodology for installing, maintaining and applying the Regional Fire Danger Rating System for the South Caucasus.

Inception meeting Improving Radiological and Environmental Awareness in Territories affected by the Chernobyl Accident in Belarus and Ukraine
The inception meeting of OSCE / GFMC / REEFMC project Improving Radiological and Environmental Awareness in Territories affected by the Chernobyl Accident in Belarus and Ukraine with a Focus on Wildfire Management was held in Kyiv, Ukraine, 7 September 2017:

Representatives of Ukraine and Belarus attending the Inception Workshop

2017 OSCE Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation Meeting
The meeting included a GFMC / REEFMC contribution Supporting the Implementation of OSCE Ministerial Council Decision 6/14 on Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction: Enhancing National and Regional Capacities in Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction (Session I: Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction and Management at all Levels), presented by S. Zibtsev, Director of REEFMC, on behalf of GFMC Director; Hofburg, Vienna, Austria, 16-17 October 2017:

Presentation of the joint GFMC / REEFMC Statement by Sergiy V. Zibtsev

Working meeting Improving Radiological and Environmental Awareness in Territories affected by the Chernobyl Accident in Belarus and Ukraine
The first working meeting of the OSCE project Improving radiological and environmental awareness in territories affected by the Chernobyl accident in Belarus and Ukraine with a focus on wildfire management, for preparation a bilateral fire emergency response exercise between Belarus and Ukraine (May 2018) was held at the OSCE Office in Ukraine, Chernihiv, Ukraine, 24 April 2018.

Bilateral fire emergency response exercise between Belarus and Ukraine 
In the frame of the project Improving radiological and environmental awareness in territories affected by the Chernobyl accident in Belarus and Ukraine with a focus on wildfire management, coordinated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the REEFMRC and GFMC; Gomel Oblast Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus, Gomel, Belarus, 17-18 May 2018:

The first joint table-top exercise of Ukrainian and Belarussian agencies responsible for fire management and emergency situations was conducted in Gomel, Belarus, under the auspices and sponsorship of the OSCE. Photos courtesy OSCE / Evgeniy Maloletka.

Awareness-raising and information materials on wildfire risk reduction in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
A number of awareness-raising and information materials on wildfire risk reduction in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone were developed by the OSCE in co-operation with the REEFMC and the GFMC in the frame of the project Improving Radiological and Environmental Awareness in Territories Affected by the Chernobyl Accident in Belarus and Ukraine with a Focus on Wildfire Management at the request of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management.

Regional Workshop Landscape Fire Management in South Eastern Europe
The workshop was organized by the Regional Fire Monitoring Center For SE Europe / Caucasus (RFMC) and GFMC, on behalf of the Office of the Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, with the topics: (a) Review of the state and need for further development of national and regional early warning systems, fire management information systems and exchange of data and information at regional SEE level; (b) Review of national fire management systems: Current situation, policies and inter-agency cooperation; (c) Needs for future building and strengthening of volunteer firefighting services; (d) Strengthening national and cross-boundary fire management capacities for complementing and increase effectiveness of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in the SEE neighborhood; (e) Fire management on terrain contaminated by unexploded ordnance (UXO) and land mines, and (f) Discussion on modalities for strengthening the regional co-operation on Fire Management; 17-19 December 2018, Skopje, North Macedonia.

Meeting of the OSCE Economic and Environment Committee
At the 2019 meeting of the Economic and Environment Committee of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) the GFMC reported the results of activities in Landscape Fire Disaster Risk Reduction in OSCE Participating States (J.G. Goldammer); 18 February 2019, OSCE Secretariat, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria.

With the presentation “The Involvement of the OSCE in Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction: A Retrospective of Joint Efforts with the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) 2006-2018” the head of GFMC reported about the progress in development of fire management capacities in OSCE Participating States, which led to the Basel OSCE Ministerial Council Decision No. 6/2014 “Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction” and the post-Basel fire management / wildfire DRR agenda 2015-2018 in the Participating States. Photo: OSCE Secretariat.

OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Environmental Focal Points Training on Environmental Risks and Emergency Preparedness “Toxic Industrial Material Reconnaissance & Assessment Course” (TIMRAC)
This training course aims at strengthening capacities of the OSCE SMM Environmental Focal Points in the area of environmental emergency preparedness with a view to reinforcing the safety and security of the SMM Mission members. The training will strengthen the knowledge and awareness of the EFPs on the type of environmental risks and emergencies that the SMM Mission members might face, and familiarize the EFPs with applicable safety rules, monitoring and reporting, and tools for rapid assessment. GFMC Contribution: “Wildfire Hazards Resulting from Collateral Damages of Armed Conflicts and Post-Conflict Threats by Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Land Mines”; 01-05 July 2019 Austrian Army, Vienna Penzing, Austria.

TIMRAC Course organizers (OSCE Secretariat and the Austrian Army) and the group of trainees and resource persons

Seminar to develop the concept of new proposals to reduce the risk of disasters in the Chernobyl zone
The seminar was organized by OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine on 31 October 2019 in Kyiv, Ukraine, jointly with the Regional Eastern Europe Fire Monitoring Center (REEFMC). During the seminar, the results of the OSCE project “Raising Radiological and Environmental Awareness in Belarus and Ukraine Affected by the Chernobyl Accident, with a Focus on Forest Fire Management”, implemented in 2016-2018, were presented to representatives of international organizations and stakeholders. In particular, the “Analysis of fire management legislation of the Republic Belarus and Ukraine, including in the Exclusion Zone and recommendations for their improvement”, the “Belarussian-Ukrainian-English fire management terminology for coordinated response to forest fires across the national border” and the “Guideline for fire fighters in the Belarusian and Ukrainian sectors of the Exclusion Zone of the Chernobyl NPP” were presented; 31 October 2019, Kyiv, Ukraine.

Participants of the seminar included representatives from OSCE, REEFMC and State Agencies of Ukraine (Ministry of Energy and Nature Protection, State Agency of Ukraine for the Management of the Exclusion Zone and the Chernobyl Radiation-Ecological Biosphere Reserve, State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kiev region) and Belarus (Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus, Gomel Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Belarus, Polessky State Radiation and Ecological Reserve and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus). Photo: REEFMC.

Vienna Dialogue on Climate and Security
Initiation of a multilateral dialogue by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in cooperation with the OSCE; with GFMC Keynote „Wildfire Crises, Environmental and Human Security: Towards creating fire-resilient landscapes and societies?”; 20 October 2021, Vienna, Austria.

The GFMC presentation addressed, among other, the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision 6/14 ”Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction” reference to OSCE’s mandate to strengthen the exchange of knowledge and experience, building upon the OSCE’s good practices in disaster risk reduction gained particularly in the field of fire management.

Strengthening Responses to Security Risks from Climate Change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia
Climate change can impact security in a number of ways. While it does not directly cause conflict, it interacts with other pressures to influence security landscapes, including population growth, unequal economic development and resource constraints. In other words, climate change acts as a risk multiplier. The OSCE project “Strengthening Responses to Security Risks from Climate Change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia” aims to reduce climate change-related security risks in the four project regions by raising awareness, developing capacities, and sharing knowledge within and among the project regions. It also aims to do so through the implementation of climate change adaptation measures in the geographic areas that are most vulnerable to climate change. In 2021 OSCE and GFMC, supported by Adelphi, initiated cooperation in the Western Balkans and the South Caucasus. The South Caucasus projects address bilateral fire management cooperation between Armenia / Georgia and Azerbaijan / Georgia (kickoff: 20 October 2021). The project contributes to the implementation of the various provisions of the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision No.3/21 on “Strengthening co-operation to address the challenges caused by climate change” that was adopted on 3 December 2021 in Stockholm.

Cross-regional Workshop “Wildfire Management for Enhancing Climate Resilience and Security”

The OSCE-led workshop was organized within the framework of the OSCE project “Strengthening responses to security risks from climate change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia” with the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC), the Regional Fire Monitoring Center (RFMC) and the Berlin-based think-tank Adelphi. The workshop brought together climate change and emergency management experts from the South Caucasus and the South-Eastern Europe regions as well as from Mongolia to raise awareness and strengthen capacities on wildfire management and climate resilience and their implications for security; to enable an exchange of experiences and best practices among participants on these issues; and to identify opportunities for further co-operation on wildfire management to enhance climate resilience and climate adaptation; 4-7 December 2022, Skopje, North Macedonia.

Participants of the workshop – visit at the Crisis Management Center, Republic of North Macedonia. Photos: © OSCE

UNECE Seminar “Assessments of the Environmental Damage Resulting from the Russian Invasion of Ukraine”
Agencies of Ukraine and – among other – OECD and OSCE met with the purpose: Numerous actors, at the international and local levels, have undertaken impact assessments in Ukraine to gather information on the environmental effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. To obtain a meaningful picture of the impact there is a need to foster coherence between the approaches. The seminar introduced some of these assessments with a focus on the substantive results and methodological approaches applied in carrying them out. It provided an opportunity to discuss how to enhance coherence between the assessments and to use them to inform policies for the post-war green reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine. OSCE presented the project “Assessment of environmental impacts of the war against Ukraine and options for remediation”. REEFMC and GFMC are responsible for the component “Rural Environment – Landscape Fires”; 16 February 2023, Geneva, online.

Planting cabbage between two destroyed tanks – a sign of hope?

OSCE Project Briefing “Assessment of environmental impacts of the war against Ukraine and options for remediation”
Aim of the OSCE project is to assess the environmental impacts of the war and contribute to the remediation of the damages to and the degradation of the environment in Ukraine, in order to address and reduce future safety and security risks. REEFMC and GFMC are responsible for the component “Rural Environment – Landscape Fires”; 03 March 2023, OSCE, Vienna, Hofburg.

OSCE Contribution to the 8th International Wildland Fire Conference; Porto, Portugal
(16-19 May 2023)
Esra Buttanri, Senior Climate Change Adviser at the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities at the OSCE, contributed to two key sessions:

Session “Landscape Fire Governance Framework” – with participation of GFMC (J.G. Goldammer) and OSCE (E. Buttanri)

Assessment of environmental impacts of the war against Ukraine and options for remediation
Presentation of the 12-month assessment review report within the framework of the project “Assessment of environmental impacts of the war against Ukraine and options for remediation”. Aim of the OSCE project is to assess the environmental impacts of the war and contribute to the remediation of the damages to and the degradation of the environment in Ukraine, in order to address and reduce future safety and security risks. REEFMC and GFMC are responsible for the component “Rural Environment – Landscape Fires”; OSCE, Vienna, Austria, 30 June 2023.

OSCE High-Level Conference on Climate Change
The GFMC contribution covered climate change, security and wildfire risk management; OSCE, Vienna, Austria, 07 July 2023.

2023 Prague Forum

The 2023 Prague Forum on the Economic and Environmental Dimension of the OSCE was held under the theme “Promoting security and stability in the OSCE area through achieving sustainable development, and resilient and inclusive economic growth”, with GFMC and RFMRC-CAR contributions on cross-boundary fire management in OSCE Participating States; 14-15 September 2023, Prague, Czech Republic, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Czernin Palace.

The 2023 Prague Forum reflected the security problems in the 57 Participating States related to climate change and conflicts. GFMC reported about achievements, current and future activities in cross-boundary fire management. Lower photo (from left): J.G. Goldammer (GFMC Director), S. Bayarsaikhan (Deputy Minister for Justice and Home Affairs of Mongolia), H.M. Schmid (OSCE Secretary General), R. Ernst (Deputy Coordinator, Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities [OCEEA]). G. Apuzzo (OCEEA), T. Mijiddorj (Ambassador Mongolia) and B. Jargalsaikhan (Independent Authority against Corruption of Mongolia). ©Photos: MZV ČR / MFA CZ.

South East Europe: Cross-boundary cooperation in Wildfire Protection of Protected Areas
Fire management training of park management authorities and the civil emergency response units of the municipalities in the protected areas of Korab-Koritnik, Mavrovo, Shar Mountain and Sharri/Šara on fire preparedness and response by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), conducted by the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) and Regional Fire Monitoring Center for South-Eastern Europe and South Caucasus (RFMC). Field training was conducted in Mavrovo, North Macedonia, on 9-10 October 2023, followed by early warning of wildfire training in Skopje on 12 October 2023; 09-12 October 2023, Mavrovo and Skopje, North Macedonia.

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