DR Congo
RETHINKING THE JUST TRANSITION IN THE DRC
Focusing on voices from across the DRC, a so-called ‘Solutions Country’, this briefing highlights how current extractive and conservation models often harm communities, and sets out a pathway for a just transition rooted in equity, participation and community-led environmental stewardship.
COP30: Congolese Civil Society Calls for a Truly Just Transition in the DRC
Belém, As global climate negotiations at COP30 focus on phasing out fossil fuels, the Congolese citizen movement Notre Terre Sans Pétrole (NTSP) has launched a policy brief outlining how the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) can achieve a genuinely just energy transition. The brief was unveiled during the side event in Belém “Solutions Country: Protecting Forests and Securing … Read more
Community Forests in DRC: a solution for a ‘solutions country’
A new Community Forestry briefing from RFUK, Congolese civil society and partners highlights how community forestry can help the DRC realise its ambition to be a true solutions country for climate and biodiversity.
Community Forests in DRC: A Proven Solution for a ‘Solutions Country’
As the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) delegation heads to COP30 in Belém – the so-called “Rainforest COP” – RFUK and a coalition of 21 Congolese civil society and Indigenous organisations is urging policymakers to recognise the country’s community forestry model as a cornerstone of climate and biodiversity action. Holding 60% of the world’s second-largest rainforest and its … Read more
Reflecting on the National Community Forestry Week in Mbandaka
Community Forestry is increasingly recognised as a key driver of sustainable development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It provides local communities and Indigenous Peoples with secure land tenure, enabling them to invest in their futures and build autonomous, forest-friendly rural economies through responsible investment. From 18-22 August 2025, community forest representatives, supporting NGOs, … Read more
National meeting lays foundation for shared and inclusive governance of the Green Corridor
Between 7-9 October 2025, Congolese civil society hosted the first nationwide gathering on the Green Corridor Kivu-Kinshasa (CVKK), the world’s largest ‘community’ reserve created in January 2025. The three-day meeting was organised by the Congolese civil society coalition Reseau pour l’Environnement et les Droits Humains (R-EDH), in partnership with the Virunga Foundation and the Institut … Read more
New Report Exposes ‘Carbon Land Grab’ Sweeping Across the Congo Basin
A new investigation by RFUK reveals how vast areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are being carved up for carbon offset projects, raising alarm over the legality, transparency and human rights impacts of a rapidly expanding carbon market. The report, ‘The Great Green Rush: The Exponential Rise and Social Impacts of Forest Carbon … Read more
THE GREAT GREEN RUSH: THE EXPONENTIAL RISE AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF FOREST CARBON OFFSET PROJECTS IN THE DRC
An investigation into the rapid expansion of forest carbon offset projects in the DRC — revealing their social, legal and environmental consequences.
DRC civil society urges government to draft a National Forest Policy that protects communities’ rights
As the DRC government conducts provincial-level consultations on the development of its first-ever National Forest Policy (NFP), civil society organisations have called on the Ministry of Environment to uphold the rights of Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples in a process that could shape the management of the country’s vast forests for decades to come. This … Read more
Official launch of the Oshwe community forest project marks a new chapter for people and forests in Mai-Ndombe, DRC
On Wednesday, 24 September 2025, the Appui à la Sécurisation et au Développement Local (ASFD) – Support for Local Security and Development – project was officially launched in Oshwe, Mai-Ndombe province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This initiative opens a new front in our efforts to put the management of forests directly in the hands … Read more