From 30 September to 1 October 2025, the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme organized a two-day training on “Climate Change and Land Use (Mitigation and Adaptation) in the Context of Landscape Fire Management” in Durres, Albania. The training brought together institutional representatives, experts, and practitioners who are members of Albania’s National LFM Network. A total of 20 participants attended the event to strengthen their capacities in addressing the impacts of climate change on land use and landscape fire management (LFM).
The training was held within the framework of the LFMWB Programme, financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and jointly organized by the LFMWB Regional Executive Agency (REA-Farmahem) and the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Albania.
The main objective of the training was to equip participants with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to integrate climate change considerations into LFM planning and decision-making.
Over the course of two days, the program combined expert-led sessions with interactive group work and discussions. Key topics included:
- Basic concepts of climate change and its global, regional, and national impacts;
- Understanding of land use, drivers of land-use change, challenges, and opportunities in Albania;
- Linkages between land use, climate change, and landscape fire management;
- Adaptation strategies with a focus on sustainable land management practices and fire-resilient landscapes.
The training also placed strong emphasis on gender perspectives in climate change and LFM, exploring barriers to women’s participation in decision-making, as well as the role of policies in supporting women’s adaptive capacities. Rural women leaders shared testimonials, highlighting challenges and opportunities for more inclusive approaches to climate resilience.
Through group work and strategy presentations, participants discussed how national climate communication measures are integrated into sectoral documents and proposed new ideas to strengthen institutional frameworks.
The training concluded with reflections on key takeaways, emphasizing that effective LFM requires not only technical knowledge and sustainable practices, but also inclusive, gender-responsive approaches that engage communities and build resilience at multiple levels.