More than 80 representatives from public institutions, research, civil protection, finance, philanthropy, technology and landscape initiatives worldwide met in the Cap Roig Gardens of “la Caixa” Foundation, Spain, to advance an integrated approach to wildfire risk.
Moving from pilot initiatives to landscape-scale resilience will require “rethinking the economy as we have understood it until now and placing nature at its core”, said Marc Palahí, CEO of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance.
“Through this international network, we are advancing wildfire-resilient landscapes worldwide and accelerating the transition towards a new economic paradigm that puts people and nature first. A new nature-based economy will help us break away from our dependency on fossil fuels and better adapt to the uncertainties of climate change.”
During his remarks, the Secretary-General of the Department of Economy and Finance of the Government of Catalonia, Juli Fernández , emphasised the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to wildfire prevention, combining scientific knowledge, public policy and the involvement of the various stakeholders who operate across the landscape. In this context, he highlighted the role of forest management as a structural, long-term policy, particularly against a backdrop of climate change, increasingly continuous forest cover and the gradual abandonment of agricultural and livestock farming activities. The Secretary-General also stressed the need to move from diagnosis to implementation, strengthen collaboration among public administrations, local authorities, the private sector and the scientific community, and recognise the value of the people who manage the land. The WRLN provides an international umbrella for this effort, connecting organisations and initiatives from different sectors, including indigenous and local communities, science, public sector, industry and finance. Through its network of Living Labs, partners test solutions in real territories, exchange knowledge, explore investment opportunities and adapt what works to different contexts.
"It is time to think big and promote new initiatives that can make a difference in the face of the rapid and impactful changes we are facing nowadays. We need to accelerate the transition to territories where climate resilience is embedded in landscape adaptation, planning, management, governance and investment. This is exactly the approach of the WRLN. The diversity of the organisations and territories represented in this event reflects a shared conviction: no single institution, sector or country can address the growing wildfire challenge alone."
Turning knowledge into implementation
Implementing wildfire-resilient landscapes requires coherent action across forestry, agriculture, biodiversity, spatial planning, water management, tourism, public health, civil protection and rural development. The governance discussions explored how policy frameworks, planning tools, institutional coordination and meaningful participation can bring national, regional and local authorities together with the landowners, forest managers and communities whose decisions shape wildfire risk. Technology can strengthen these decisions at every stage, from risk assessment, early warning and monitoring to prevention, response and post-fire recovery. Participants discussed how rapidly advancing tools, from Earth observation to the modelling of fire and smoke behaviour, are changing what can be anticipated and acted on. Their real value, they noted, lies in combining these tools with scientific evidence and operational expertise so that they meet practical needs on the ground. The meeting also addressed a key factor: how to secure long-term finance for initiatives working on landscape resilience. Public funding, insurance, philanthropy, private capital and the forest economy are already at work, but not yet at the scale resilient landscapes require. Since many actors share an interest in landscape resilience yet none can secure it alone, the finance session explored new partnerships and mechanisms that could unlock the next step, from philanthropy’s catalytic role to new roles for insurers.
Living Labs: connecting international ambition with local action
The meeting brought together experience from Living Labs and large-scale demonstration initiatives across Europe, North and South America, Australia and Africa. Living Labs are settings where public authorities, researchers, communities, landowners and businesses jointly design, test and evaluate solutions under real conditions. Connecting them through the WRLN turns local experience into shared learning that can be adapted across different landscapes, build evidence and support wider adoption. .
From discussion to territorial reality
As part of the programme, participants visited the area affected by the 2026 Les Gavarres wildfire in Catalonia. The fire, which broke out near La Bisbal d’Empordà in early July, affected approximately 2,200 hectares, mainly forest land. Around 97% of the affected area lies within the protected natural area of Les Gavarres. During the visit, emergency services, forest owners and local stakeholders described the damage caused by the fire, the operational demands of the emergency, the coordination required between institutions, and the difficulties of post-fire recovery and land management. Participants concluded that resilience to large wildfires does not depend on any single actor, but rather on coordinated and sustained action before, during and after an emergency.
