Extractives & Infrastructure
DRC government opens 52 oil blocks in the Cuvette Centrale peatlands, undermining green commitments
In a move that has sparked outrage among environmental and human rights campaigners, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has approved the opening of 52 new oil blocks in the Cuvette Centrale peatlands – the world’s largest terrestrial carbon sink and a critical ecosystem for biodiversity. The decision, announced during the Council of Ministers meeting … Read more
BRIEFING: SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS
To find out more about RFUK’s Sustainable Conversation and Human Rights campaign, this briefing explains why conventional conservation models need to change, what needs to be done to effect this change and how RFUK and our local and Indigenous partners work on this issue.
New RFUK report highlights the continuing lack of protected area accountability in the Congo Basin
Following the latest round of negotiations over the future of biodiversity conservation efforts at COP16, a new report by RFUK urges for accountability and redress for the past and ongoing harms caused by fortress conservation programmes across the Congo Basin. ‘Righting Wrongs‘ highlights the pressing need for effective, independent and sufficiently-resourced Grievance and Redress Mechanisms, … Read more
Congolese organisations welcome cancellation of oil block auction, warn against new tender
Congolese organisations welcome cancellation of oil block auction, warn against new tender 30th October 2024 130 international and Congolese organisations have released a statement calling for an end to oil development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as part of a new nationwide campaign ‘Our Land Without Oil‘ led by Congolese civil society. The … Read more
DRC cancels auction of 27 Oil Blocks
The DRC government has announced the cancellation of the controversial auction of 27 oil blocks. While welcoming this decision, RFUK expresses concern over the stated intention of the Hydrocarbons Minister, Aimé Sakombi Molendo, to start another bidding process. Since its launch in July 2022, the auction of 30 oil and gas blocks has drawn heavy … Read more
New report sets out non-market alternatives to flawed forest carbon markets
We are delighted to share ‘Beyond Offsets: People and Planet-Centred Responses to the Climate and Biodiversity Crisis’, a new report by Fern, Forest Peoples Programme and Rainforest Foundation UK that sets out alternatives to flawed voluntary carbon markets. Authored by David Young and extensively peer-reviewed by environmental and Indigenous experts, the report explores non-market approaches (NMAs) … Read more
UNVEILING OUR 2023 ANNUAL REVIEW: A YEAR OF GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT
We are pleased to publish our 2023 Annual Review. In this latest edition, we reflect on RFUK’s 35 years of promoting a simple yet powerful idea – that we need to entrust the protection of tropical forests to the Indigenous and local communities who depend on them. This year’s review highlights our three-pillar approach to … Read more
ANNUAL REVIEW 2023
We are thrilled to share RFUK’s 2023 Annual Review of our main achievements and impact for the world’s tropical forests and the people that call them home.
Blue Carbon and the New Scramble for Africa’s Forests
Blue Carbon LLC, a private company based in Dubai, is finalising deals with at least six African countries to acquire huge swathes of their forests to harvest carbon credits. Although the deals are shrouded in secrecy, it appears that at least 25 million hectares of forests – an area larger than the UK – may … Read more
‘Leave it in the ground!’ Congolese civil society send a strong message to halt auction of oil and gas licensing rights in DRC as COP28 climate summit begins
Kinshasa, 30 November 2023 As the DRC government delegation prepares for crucial COP28 climate talks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting later this week, Congolese civil society and Indigenous organisations have sent to them and to the broader international community a strong message: it is time for the country to move away from oil … Read more