News
“The 30×30 conservation pledge isn’t backed by science” – warn human rights groups
A push to place 30% of the planet under ‘protected’ status by 2030, while making for catchy media headlines and political slogans, is not supported by the science, a group of international NGOs have warned. This warning comes as delegates of governments and conservation organisations meet in Kenya this week to discuss the draft post-2020 … Read more
Increased funding for forest communities can transform global climate and biodiversity efforts — but reimagining how is critical
Ongoing challenges have prevented funding from going directly to indigenous peoples and local communities in tropical forests who are key to combating the climate crisis. In a new briefing, the Rainforest Foundations of the UK, US and Norway come together to outline key steps to ensuring climate and biodiversity funding gets to the frontlines. Mounting scientific … Read more
NGOs call on Congolese General Prosecutor to investigate the role of several former ministers in illegal logging operations
A group of Congolese and international NGOs have written to DRC’s General Prosecutor calling on him to investigate reports of widespread illegal logging, which implicate as many as six former ministers. On 1 April, the Environment ministry finally released a long-suppressed audit of the country’s logging industry by the Congolese General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF), which found … Read more
Climate catastrophe looms as DRC oil plan poses new threat to Cuvette Centrale peatlands
The DRC government has adopted a plan to open up one of the world’s largest carbon sinks to oil drilling only months after it signed a $500 million forest protection agreement with the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) at COP26. Last week, the DRC Council of Ministers adopted a plan to tender 16 new oil blocks, several … Read more
DRC suspends twelve concessions following publication of IGF audit – Many more must now follow
The DRC Vice Prime Minister, Eve Bazaiba, this week suspended twelve logging concessions, covering nearly two million hectares, following a damning government report into the state of the industry. This welcome development comes after intense scrutiny from RFUK and other international and national organisations, but is likely to account for only a fraction of the … Read more
Massaha update: TBNI Logging company told to cease operations, paving the way for a new community reserve
In a positive development, Gabon’s Forest Minister has ordered an immediate end to the logging of Massaha’s ancestral forest, by the company Transport Bois Négoce International (TBNI), paving the way for the community to create its own protected area. Following a two-year struggle by the community, as well as international pressure from RFUK and others, … Read more
On Protected Areas and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: A submission to the UN Special Rapporteur
In a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’ upcoming report on the impacts of protected areas to the UN General Assembly at its 77th session, RFUK has warned that despite much lip service to the contrary, conventional conservation and climate change programmes continue to wreak havoc on indigenous peoples … Read more
Perspectives on Gender and Equality from our Community Forests Project
The ‘Community Forest’ model in DRC offers an unprecedented opportunity for communities there to legally secure, manage and protect their traditional forests. But to assure the delivery of equitable and sustainable outcomes, there is a need to ensure they are developed by the communities themselves, with actively inclusive processes to ensure the information obtained on … Read more
DRC national logging moratorium must be extended indefinitely following damning audit of the industry logging
Rainforest Foundation UK and Greenpeace Africa have today called on the DRC government and its international partners to extend the national logging moratorium indefinitely, following a damning official report that lays bare the lawlessness and impunity in the country’s timber industry. After several delays, the DRC Environment Ministry last week finally published an audit by General Inspectorate … Read more
Tune-in 10 April to hear Stephen Fry share our appeal
ON SUNDAY 10TH APRIL, STEPHEN FRY TEAMS UP WITH RAINFOREST FOUNDATION UK TO VOICE OUR BBC RADIO 4 CHARITY APPEAL Tune in at 07:54 or 21:25 on the 10th April to hear Stephen tell the story of the Ilinga community in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and how we supported them in their mission to map their … Read more