FOREST DECLARATION ASSESSMENT

The 2022 Regional Assessment of the Congo Basin reveals that while the region is a critical global carbon sink, deforestation increased in 2021 by 4.9% compared to the 2018-20 period. Only Gabon and the Republic of the Congo are currently aligned with the trajectory to end deforestation by 2030. The report identifies subsistence agriculture and infrastructure development as primary drivers, while noting that industrial mining and logging cause the most severe damage to intact core forests. Despite the existence of legal frameworks and international funding commitments, such as the USD 1.5 billion Joint Declaration for the Congo Basin, the report highlights significant gaps in policy enforcement, land tenure security for Indigenous peoples and local communities, and the alignment of economic development plans with forest conservation goals.

• The Congo Basin is the world's second-largest tropical forest and served as the largest net carbon sink in the tropics from 2001-19, removing 0.61 net gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalents (GtCO2e) per year.
• Deforestation in the Congo Basin increased by 4.9% (approximately 30,000 hectares) in 2021 compared to the 2018-20 baseline, totaling 636,000 hectares lost that year.
• To reach the 2030 goal of zero deforestation, a 10% annual reduction in forest cover loss is required; currently, only Gabon and the Republic of the Congo are on track to meet this trajectory.
• Forest integrity has declined across all six Congo Basin countries, with the most significant reductions occurring in Cameroon, the DRC, and Equatorial Guinea. Between 2000 and 2016, the share of intact forests in the region fell from 78% to 67%.
• Subsistence agriculture by small-scale farmers, combined with the construction of roads and settlements, is the primary driver of deforestation and degradation in the region.
• Industrial activities, including mining, logging, and commercial agriculture, have a disproportionately high impact on carbon stocks and biodiversity because they are the only activities capable of accessing intact core forests.
• Land tenure insecurity is a major underlying driver of forest loss; only 1.5% of land in Central Africa is legally recognized as belonging to Indigenous peoples (IPs) and local communities (LCs).
• Economic development plans in the region are often inconsistent with sustainable forest use, with oil, gas, and mining permits impacting up to 48% of intact forest landscapes in the Central African Republic, DRC, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo.
• International funding is insufficient to meet the needs identified in National Determined Contributions (NDCs); for example, the land sector needs of Cameroon and the DRC alone are estimated at USD 29.8 billion for 2020-30.
• While the Joint Declaration for the Congo Basin pledged USD 1.5 billion between 2021 and 2025, these and other financial pledges often lack quantifiable and transparent targets.
• REDD+ implementation in the region is hindered by a lack of funding and a payment structure that does not reward the preservation of existing forests that are not in immediate danger.
• Private sector 'zero deforestation' commitments (ZDCs) are increasing but often lack transparency and consistency in definition, and in some cases, such as with Olam in Gabon, are implemented as 'net zero' through offsetting rather than avoiding deforestation.

APA

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

Chicago

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

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Forest Declaration Assessment |title=FOREST DECLARATION ASSESSMENT |date=November 2022 |url=https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022RegionalAssessment_ENG.pdf |access-date=23 October 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/2022/11/2022RegionalAssessment_ENG.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }