A new World Bank report has revealed that the Congo Basin’s forests hold more than $23 trillion in untapped value and called for urgent strategic investment to unlock their potential for climate resilience and economic development.
The report, Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem Accounts, shows that the value of forest ecosystem services nearly doubled between 2000 and 2020 – from $590 billion to $1.15 trillion – while total forest asset value surged from $11.4 trillion to $23.2 trillion.
Despite this, local governments captured only $8 billion in domestic benefits in 2020, primarily from timber, bushmeat, wild foods and ecotourism.
“These forests, managed sustainably, can serve as powerful engines for sustainable development, contributing to creating jobs, supporting climate-smart growth and strengthening local economies,” said Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa.
The Congo Basin spans six countries and is home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest.
The report highlights huge disparities in forest governance across the region.
Gabon and the Republic of Congo lead in embedding sustainability into national planning, while Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea are strengthening forest governance.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic face mounting pressures from population growth, informal logging, mining and agriculture.
The report outlines how forest assets can be integrated into macroeconomic planning, supporting diversification through ecotourism, forest monitoring and value-added processing of non-timber products.
It also notes the role of results-based climate financing in shifting development toward long-term sustainability.
The findings come amid growing global interest in nature-based solutions and climate finance, positioning the Congo Basin as a critical frontier for both environmental stewardship and inclusive growth.
JN/APA