Funding gaps threaten the Congo Basin’s ability to absorb carbon, protect biodiversity, and sustain millions who depend on its resources.
Nature's Bank Account
The Congo Basin Forest, often called the ‘lungs of Africa,’ absorbs 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually—yet it receives just a fraction of global climate funding. It is the world’s largest net carbon sink and serves as a vital shield against climate change. Its annual net carbon dioxide absorption is six times that of the Amazon rainforest. It is quite ironic that such a vital asset that plays a crucial role in global climate stability is allocated scant resources for its protection. Maybe we do not care about the lungs of Africa.
Beyond its African significance, the Congo Basin functions as a global lifeline through its climate change mitigation, acting as a massive carbon sink while absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This region harbors an incredible variety of plant and animal species—many found nowhere else on Earth—thereby supporting biodiversity, while. . .
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