Congo Basin: The Rainforest World Forgot

The Congo Basin remains one of the world’s most vital carbon sinks, yet it is consistently overlooked in global climate policy. Its forests shelter endangered species and sustain water systems that reach as far as the Sahel. Despite this, international funding for conservation and research in the region lags far behind the Amazon and Southeast Asia. Communities across six countries continue to protect this rainforest, even as they face economic and political challenges. Scientists warn that without urgent investment, the Basin’s ability to absorb carbon will decline rapidly. This makes the Congo Basin not just Africa’s lifeline, but humanity’s last frontier against climate breakdown. 

(Source: The Guardian, “The rainforest the world forgot: the Congo basin is the second largest on Earth, so why is it being neglected?” by Tam Patachako).