The vast Congo Basin rainforest, vital for global climate regulation and local livelihoods, received renewed international backing through a major funding commitment announced at COP30 last year.
Frontline Struggles Highlight Urgent Needs
Frontline Struggles Highlight Urgent Needs (Image Credits: Imgs.mongabay.com)
Copince Ngoma, from the Bakouele Indigenous community in the Sangha region, once drew everything his family needed from the surrounding forests: game for protein, fish from streams, and plants for medicine. Unsustainable mining scarred the landscape in recent years, however. Habitats vanished, waters turned toxic, and game retreated far beyond easy reach.
“We used to drink this water, but not anymore,” Ngoma said. “We used to hunt gazelles, monkeys. Now, to catch anything, you have to travel at least 20 kilometers. We’re suffering.”
Such stories underscore the human cost across the basin. In 2024, the Democratic Republic of Congo alone lost 590,000 hectares of forest, a record driven by small-scale farming, charcoal production, and mining. Primary forest loss spiked region-wide.
The Belém Call to Action Takes Shape
France led the Belém Call to Action for the Congo Basin Forests at COP30 in November 2025, securing pledges for over $2.5 billion over five years, supplemented by funds from Central African nations. Backers included the United Kingdom, Norway, Germany, Belgium, the European Commission, World Bank, African Development Bank, and Gabon.
The initiative builds on the 2021 COP26 Congo Basin Pledge, which committed $1.5 billion through 2025 but faced delivery shortfalls. Panelists at a January 2026 webinar stressed traceability and coordination to avoid past pitfalls like delays and mismanagement.
Goals center on halting and reversing deforestation by 2030. Early discussions focused on innovative finance, including direct community access and donors from the Global South.
Persistent Threats Demand Targeted Responses
Mining pollutes rivers and clears land, while charcoal meets energy needs for about 80% of basin residents lacking electricity. Agriculture expands as populations grow.
Experts outlined key drivers:
- Small-scale agriculture converting forests to fields.
- Charcoal production, requiring 6.5-10 kg of wood per kg of fuel.
- Industrial and artisanal mining disrupting ecosystems.
- Weak governance allowing unchecked expansion.
Regional bodies like the Central African Forests Commission struggle with cohesion. High-level buy-in remains fragile.
Empowering Communities for Lasting Impact
Indigenous groups and locals steward the forests, yet bureaucratic barriers block direct funding. Joseph Itongwa, regional coordinator for the Network of Indigenous and Local Community Peoples, noted their role in preserving biodiversity and culture. He advocated mechanisms like the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, which reserves 20% of funds for such groups.
Solutions blend conservation with development: non-timber forest products, sustainable plantations, improved stoves, solar power, and biogas. Community concessions grow, linking tenure rights to economic gains. Women leaders like Dorothée Marie Lisenga called for their inclusion in funding and decisions, as they bear disproportionate deforestation burdens.
“More funding must be directed to protecting standing forests, and innovative approaches are needed to channel funding directly to local communities,” said Simon Hopkins of the Central African Forest Initiative.
Key Takeaways
- Prioritize direct funding and land rights for Indigenous peoples and women to build stewardship.
- Invest in alternatives to charcoal, like renewables and efficient stoves, to curb demand.
- Ensure transparent tracking and regional coordination to deliver on the $2.5 billion pledge.
Success hinges on turning rhetoric into action before 2030 deadlines loom. As Emmanuel-Tsadok N. Mihaha put it, “The forest is us, and we are the forest.” Strong implementation could safeguard this carbon sink and cultural heartland for generations. What steps should donors take next? Tell us in the comments.
