Central Africa’s forests: Carbon heroes under threats

By Merilyne Ojong
CIFOR Forests News
September 13, 2024
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: International

The Central African subregion, which mainly comprises the Congo Basin, is home to one of the world’s largest expanses of tropical rainforest. It is a haven for an exceptionally diverse range of plant and animal species and provides essential ecosystem services. According to the State of the Forests (SOF) 2021 report published by the Central Africa Forest Observatory (OFAC), these forests sequester around 40 gigatons of carbon annually. That’s roughly equivalent to the total carbon emissions that humans produce annually. These ecosystems face numerous challenges. Deforestation, primarily driven by slash-and-burn agriculture, illegal logging, infrastructure expansion and agro-industrial development, threatens the region’s biodiversity. Population growth, poaching and inadequate conservation measures also endanger fragile habitats and endemic species. The SOF 2021 report warns that 27% of these forests could disappear by 2050 without urgent intervention.

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