FOREST DECLARATION ASSESSMENT

The 2022 Regional Assessment for the Congo Basin reveals that while deforestation rates have historically been low, there was a 4.9% increase in forest loss in 2021 compared to the 2018-2020 period. Only Gabon and the Republic of the Congo are currently on track to meet the 10% annual reduction in forest cover loss required to reach the 2030 goal of zero deforestation. The report identifies subsistence agriculture as the primary driver of deforestation, while industrial mining, logging, and commercial agriculture pose the greatest risks to core intact forests. Despite the existence of legal frameworks and community forest laws in several countries, implementation is hindered by weak governance, lack of tenure security for indigenous peoples and local communities, and contradictory sectoral laws. Financial commitments, including USD 1.5 billion pledged by international donors between 2021 and 2025, are deemed insufficient to meet the region's needs, with the land sector needs of Cameroon and the DRC alone estimated at US$29.8 billion for 2020-30.

• Deforestation in the Congo Basin increased in 2021 by 30,000 hectares, a 4.9% rise over the 2018-2020 baseline, totaling 636,000 hectares of loss.
• To reach the 2030 goal of ending deforestation, a 10% annual reduction in forest cover loss is required; currently, only Gabon and the Republic of the Congo are aligned with this trajectory.
• Forest integrity has declined across all six Congo Basin countries, with the share of intact forests dropping from 78% in 2000 to 67% in 2016, representing approximately 23 million hectares of degraded area.
• Subsistence agriculture is the primary driver of deforestation and degradation, but industrial activities like mining and logging are more damaging to core primary forests and carbon stocks.
• Policy implementation is obstructed by contradictory sectoral laws and a lack of alignment between economic development plans and sustainable forest use; for example, extractive permits affect up to 48% of intact forest landscapes in some countries.
• International funding is insufficient; while USD 1.5 billion was pledged for 2021-2025, the land sector needs for Cameroon and the DRC are estimated at US$29.8 billion for 2020-30.

APA

Forest Declaration Assessment (2022). FOREST DECLARATION ASSESSMENT. https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022RegionalExecSummary_EN.pdf

Chicago

Forest Declaration Assessment. FOREST DECLARATION ASSESSMENT. 2022. https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022RegionalExecSummary_EN.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Forest Declaration Assessment |title=FOREST DECLARATION ASSESSMENT |date=November 2022 |url=https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022RegionalExecSummary_EN.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{forestdeclarationassessment2022forest, author = {{Forest Declaration Assessment}}, title = {{FOREST DECLARATION ASSESSMENT}}, institution = {Forest Declaration Assessment}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022RegionalExecSummary_EN.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }