Image taken from behind two men using binoculars to look up into the trees of a dense rainforest.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

At a Glance

Group with GPS in DR Congo

The Central African Regional Mission serves Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Republic of Congo. 

The Congo Basin is not only the second largest tropical rainforest in the world, it serves as a significant carbon sink for greenhouse gases and provides the primary source of food, shelter, and livelihoods for over 80 million people in the region. USAID under the Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment [CARPE] works with governments and local communities to sustainably manage natural resources and preserve the Congo Basin ecosystem.

    Climate Projections and Impacts

    Refer to the Climate Risk Profile (2018) for more information.

    Climate Projections

    Drought icon

    Increased Incidence/Risk of Droughts and Floods

    Increased Precipitation Unpredictability/Variability

    Increased Temperature

    Key Climate Impact Areas

    Agriculture

    Ecosystems

    Energy

    Human Health

    Water Resources

    Funding and Key Indicators

    Refer to metadata and sources for more details.

    USAID Regional Climate Change Funding (2020)

    Total

    $6 Million

    Sustainable Landscapes

    $6 Million

    GAIN Vulnerability

    Medium

    Population (2020)

    101.8 Million

    GHG Emissions Growth

    1.23%

    % Forested Area

    67.20

    Climate Change Information

    Country Plans & Commitments

    Democratic Republic of the Congo Photo Gallery

    Two men spray water on a brush fire.

    Learning to manage fire outside of Mushie, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
    A man walks down a gravel path in a very green forested area.

    Rehabilitating trails in Kahuzi Biega National Park

    Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
    A group of forest inventory trainees talk while their trainer looks on.

    Learning about peatlands in Mbandaka

    Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
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    Related Resources

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    Stories from the Area

    Postcard from the Field: Sustainable Charcoal in Mampu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Stacks of sustainable charcoal produced at Mampu cooperative site outside of Kinshasa visited as part of a scoping mission looking at alternative local species to integrate into agroforestry woodfuel systems to increase the volume of sustainable charcoal supply for urban areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    • Climatelinks
    Sustainable charcoal

    Counting Carbon in the Congo Basin

    The Congo Basin of Central Africa hosts the second largest tropical forest in the world. The forests of the Congo Basin provide a range of environmental services to local forest-dependent communities, the surrounding region, and globally through climate regulation and carbon sequestration. Fostering the sustainable use of this vast, critical resource is imperative and requires a better understanding of existing forest resources, including changes in forest and land cover.
    • Eva McNamara, Olivia Freeman

    Innovative Mapping Platform Supports People and Protects Forests in the DRC

    The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) needs a comprehensive map of development. The country holds the largest contiguous block of rainforest outside of Brazil, but as the map below illustrates, much of the remaining forest falls under mining, oil and logging permits.
    • Leo Bottrill
    Forest Savana mosaic, DRC, as seen from the air.
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