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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
NATURE, PEOPLE AND CARBON MARKETS: WHY ARTICLE 6 SHOULD SIDELINE THE TRADE IN NATURE-BASED CREDITS
This policy briefing calls on COP30 negotiators to exclude nature-based carbon offsets from global carbon markets and instead direct climate finance through non-market approaches that support Indigenous peoples and local communities as true stewards of high-carbon ecosystems.
Nature, People and Carbon Markets: Rethinking Article 6 at COP30
As COP30 opens its door in Belém, much of the negotiations will focus on Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement, which provides a framework for countries to cooperate on implementing their climate targets (NDCs). In anticipation of these discussions that could trigger a global boom in voluntary carbon markets (VCM), Sustainable Development Strategies Group … 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