DR Congo
Community Forestry in DRC is a solution to tackle both poverty and climate change: that’s why it needs to be in focus at COP26
On 14 October at the 8th annual Multi-actor Roundtable on Community Forestry in Kinshasa, the Congolese government, as well as representatives from donor countries, community leaders and a large contingent of national and international civil society organisations, affirmed that local forest communities and indigenous peoples should be at the centre of climate action. As expressed by Mr. Athanasse Lingodja, a community leader from the province of Maniema, … Read more
Leading forest scientists call for a freeze on new logging in the Congo, urge governments to act
Press Release Kinshasa, 28 October 2021 – Leading African and international scientists join today the growing call for the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to cancel its plans to lift a 20-year ban on new industrial logging concessions. Over 25 scientists sent a letter to international donors warning of social and environmental impacts of an … Read more
Roads to Ruin: The Emerging Impacts of Infrastructure Development in Congo Basin forests
A report by RFUK reveals the growing extent, and impact, of transport and energy infrastructure development in the Congo Basin – which is on its way to becoming a major driver of deforestation in the world’s second largest rainforest. The eight case studies featured in this report show that, while certain projects may bring some … Read more
44 Congolese and international NGOs join call to stop lifting of the DRC logging moratorium
The DRC government has announced imminent plans to lift a near 20-year ban on new logging concessions operations in its Congo Basin rainforest – one of the last intact rainforests in the world. With less than six weeks to go before the crucial climate negotiations at COP26, Environmental and Human Rights NGOs are calling on … Read more
Community finally receives official documents to manage their traditional lands
This Thursday, September 2, the Bamasobha community of Lubero (North- Kivu), comprised of indigenous and Bantu groups, was officially handed the decree legally recognising their hard-won CFCL (local communities’ forest concession). This decree guarantees perpetual rights over Bamasobha’s customary lands, and thus opens the way to the management stage of the CFCL, an area rich … Read more
Press Release: NGOs warn about lifting DRC logging ban
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: LOOMING CLIMATE CATASTROPHE IF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY STAYS SILENT ON PLAN TO OPEN UP THE WORLD’S SECOND-LARGEST RAINFOREST TO INDUSTRIAL LOGGING, WARN NGOS In a letter to international climate funders, a group of leading environmental and human rights organisations warn of an impending climate and biodiversity catastrophe following a plan to lift a … Read more
Lifting DRC’s logging moratorium would be a disaster, warn NGOs
13 July 2021, Kinshasa – Greenpeace Africa, the Rainforest Foundation UK and the Rainforest Foundation Norway are alarmed over a plan announced by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Environment Minister Eve Bazaiba to lift a ban on new industrial logging concessions in the world’s second largest tropical forest. The national moratorium, which has stood since 2002 … Read more
Just launched: “Forests for the Future” a 5-year community forestry project in DRC
With the support of USAID and Norad, the Rainforest Foundation UK and a consortium of Congolese organisations are launching “Forests for the Future,” a 5-year project supporting community forests and sustainable livelihoods in DRC. Kinshasa, July 7, 2021 – Senior representatives of the government (from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development), the United States … Read more
Use It AND Lose It – Industrial Logging and its Role in Deforestation in the Democratic Republic of Congo
New research demonstrates a clear link between the establishment of commercial logging operations and a cascade of deforestation. Investigating forest loss in DRC across 60 logging concessions and eight ‘control’ areas, the findings from this study show that the selective logging of high-value timber species is not a sustainable form of forest management, but rather … Read more
New RFUK Research Shows Link Between ‘Sustainable Forest Management’ and Deforestation in DRC
A new study published by RFUK establishes a clear link between selective logging and deforestation in the world’s second largest tropical forest. Despite being synonymous with high-level corruption, illegal practices and poor relations with local communities, selective logging of timber from tropical rainforests has long been promoted in the Congo Basin as a form of … Read more