EU Nature Policies Linked to Increased Wildfire Damage

Wildfires are causing extensive damage across France and Spain, with data indicating a significant overlap between the blazes and nature-protected areas. A study in the Journal of Environmental Management found that protected areas account for 55% of burned areas in southwestern Europe, despite making up only 38% of forest land.

Víctor Resco de Dios, a professor of forestry at the University of Lleida, argues that European Union Green Deal policies are fueling these disasters. He contends that the EU goal to designate 30% of the continent as protected by 2030 increases tree cover density and deadwood while restricting preventive measures like controlled burns. This accumulation of flammable fuel leads to more intense fires that threaten both residential areas and natural habitats.

Resco de Dios characterizes the current approach as being based on ideology rather than the science of ecology or forestry. He asserts that the policies reflect a view of the world where human beings are seen as inherently bad, leading to outcomes where removing humans from the landscape actually results in worse fires.