Nikos Chrisogelos - Part 2 - The Greens

Climate change and forest fires
The case of Greece, summer 2007
Inefficient policies, inadequate institutions and
mechanisms,
lack of prevention and social support measures
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

Forest fires in Greece of summer 2007
In summer 2007, were burned:
• 10 National Parks and
NATURA 2000 sites
• 275.000 hectares (ha) of
forests and agricultural areas,
of which 147.200 ha of forests
and 30.132 ha of Natura 2000
sites (Parnitha, Taygetos,
Grammos, Gorge of Nedas,
forest of Kaiafas, forest of Evoia,
Prespa, Gorge of Vouraikos,
Pindos, Pieria)
74 people were killed by the
forest fires.
Cost of fires: 3,5 billion €
Source: Studies by Agronomic University of Athens, Aristoteleio University of
Thessaloniki, WWF Hellas
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

The extent of the damage
Suffered: 502 municipal districts
Surface: 35% of the total surface of
the Peloponnese
Population: 37% 37 of the total population
of the burned area
Farmers effected : 42.990 (21% of the
total farm land of the area burned)

Why was the damage so extensive?
• Unusual extreme weather/climate conditions (3 heat waves X 3 days
each one)
• Ignorance of the new conditions because of climate crisis
• Inadequate sustainable forest management and protection
• Lack of co-ordination between different authorities
• Absence of prevention policy (eg for management of forest residues)
• Wrong strategy: Focus on extinguishing the fires from air by helicopter
and airplanes
• In some cases, arson due to private interests extrapolated the number
and the extent of the forest fires
• Lack of a proper involvement of local people in sustainable forest
management, in fire prevention and in early extinguishment of fires
• Villages with only older people, lack of young people
5-7 fires from a total number of 12.000 fire cases burned 200.000 ha
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

The situation after the fires…
• Lack of co-ordination among the different authorities
• Inadequate support to the victims
• Lack of a reconstruction plan and concrete measures for
the financial and social initiatives and of the productive
activities of the burned areas
• Bureaucracy
• Waste of money without aims, less money to the people
who really need it, corruption (money to people they don’t
face a problem)
• No forest maps with the exact delineation of the areas
burned
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

Climate change effects in Mediterranean-
Greece 2050-2100
Possible increase of mean
temperature + 3,5º C .
Already, increase of the mean
temperature + 0,95º C.
In the next decades the mean
temperature of Thessaloniki is
expected to increase +6 º C, of
Attica +7 º C in summers.
Already, increase of the mean
temperature of the Eastern
Mediterranean +0,5-3,0 º C
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
AΘΗΝΑ - ΜΕΓΙΣΤΗ ΘΕΡΜΟΚΡΑΣΙΑ
1960-1990
2070-2100
ΘΗΣΕΙΟ
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

Maximum mean temperatures in Greece
1961-1990 and 2070-2100
(Research: NN Observatory of Athens, 2004)
33 °C
Maximum mean temperatures in
Greece in July 1961-1990
41 °C
Maximum mean temperatures
predicted in Greece in July 2071-2100
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

Increase of extreme weather phenomenon
expected
• Increase of heat waves with temperatures higher than
37 and 40°C
• At least 30 days per years with temperatures higher
than 37°C
Athens 1961-1990 2071-2100
Total number of days with
temperature >37° C
Total number of days with
temperature >40° C
195 1925
(987%)
28 1078
(3850%)
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

Reduction of rainfall in Mediterranean and Greece
Reduction of rainfall 10-33% and increase of extreme rainfall incidents.
More days without any rain- and snowfall in the year
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

Climate change and coastal zone
- Rising of sea level
- Increase of extreme weather phenomenon at
the coastal zone
- Loss of 800 square km of coasts
- Increase of risks and economic damages at the
coastal zone
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

Policy changes needed…
- Policies must be adapted to the new conditions created by
the climate crisis .
- Systematic scientific observation of the effects of climate
change on forest ecosystems.
- 2-3.000 forest fires and 12.000 overall fires in the countryside.
70% of these fires are due to negligence (eg. Burning
of reeds and agricultural waste,illegal dump sites, outdoor
cooking fires). There is space for prevention of fires…
- Creation of a body for the prevention and early encounter
of climate and natural disasters
Reorganization of key institutions – Creation of strong
Ministry of the Environment
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

A new hierarchy in forest protection
- Priority in forest protection must be the
sustainable management of forests and the
prevention of forest fires
- Readiness for the prompt facing of fires
- Information and awareness raising of local
communities and transfer of the main
prevention responsibilities to local
communities.
- Training in each area and participation of local
representatives in the prevention and early
encounter of natural disasters action plans
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008

A new hierarchy in forest protection…
- Investment of resources in prevention
mechanisms, infrastructure and training instead of
post damage costs
- Dealing with corruption issues and policies that
favor forest destruction
- Creation and implementation of an integrated
action plan for dealing with floods in line with EU
Directive 2007/60
- Systematic exchange of experience between
European and Mediterranean countries on issues
of forest protection and Management as well as
forest fire prevention and extinguishment.
Nikos Chrysogelos Greek GREEN ECOLOGISTS conference GGEP 12/11/2008