Industrial logging in the Congo Basin is a main source of deforestation

© Greenpeace/afrol News

afrol News, 9 March - New decisions by the Congo Kinshasa government, lifting a 9-year moratorium, mean that up to 25 million hectares of rainforest could be sacrificed for industrial exploitation.

Environmental groups say they are "deeply concerned" about the recent announcement by Congolese Environmental Minister José Endundo that government has legalised 15 additional logging titles in the Congo rainforest. In addition, it seems there are also plans to lift the current moratorium on industrial logging expansion.

"In the long run, up to 40 percent of the Congo rainforests could be sacrificed for industrial exploitation," the environmental group Greenpeace warns.

The concern arose after Minister Endundo on 29 January announced changes to the restrictive 2002 logging polices, addressing a situation of warfare and smuggling of natural resources. The Kinshasa government is now reacting to a normalisation of the situation in the vas country.

Back in 2002, facing the chaos of the logging industry sector in Congo Kinshasa (DRC), government decided to enforce a moratorium on new forest titles and concessions. But as the state proved unable to control the situation on the ground, the moratorium was immediately and regularly violated.

In 2005, under the pressure of the World Bank, the government started a "legal review" of 156 forest titles, aiming to "clean up" the sector. At the beginning of 2009, the Kinshasa government revealed the legal review's conclusion: 65 titles were officially converted into long term concessions.

But in January, the Environment Minister announced the official closure of this process and the legalisation of 15 additional titles which had been previously been made illegal. Most importantly though, he spoke about lifting the moratorium.

"In essence this means the allocation of around 15 million hectares – an area 5 times the size of Belgium – to a handful of companies," Greenpeace warns. "This despite the industry being denounced regularly for its scandalous practices, the social conflicts it encourages, and the fragmentation of intact forest it causes, with dire consequences on biodiversity and the climate," the group adds.

Together with the Rainforest Alliance, Global Witness and Bank Information Centre, Greenpeace wrote a letter to the World Bank, demanding the institution should put pressure on Kinshasa authorities. In another letter to the Congolese government, the groups asked for commitment to strengthen the moratorium.

"Given the current socio-economic climate, it would be a scandal to lift the moratorium," Greenpeace holds. "Industrial logging is not a solution to protect the forests. Maintaining the moratorium should be the centre of any national strategy to protect the forests, leading to alternatives for a fair and sustainable development."

By staff writer

© afrol News

Tweet

Printable version

On the Afrol News front page now

UN will not monitor human rights in Western Sahara afrol News - The US has backed down on its demand that UN peacekeepers in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara also shall monitor the human rights situation after Moroccan sources threatened to scale down relations with Washington. Read more

Central African Republic

Central African Republic falling apart afrol News - One month after the rebel movement Séléka took over power in the Central African Republic, unrest is spreading in the country. The new leader lacks control of his forces, which continue looting and abusing civilians. Read more

Kenya

Kenyatta secures tight victory in Kenya afrol News - The official election results in Kenya have finally been announced, and Uhuru Kenyatta managed to win the first poll round outright with a narrow 50.7 percent. But the main opponent, PM Raila Odinga, is filing a vote rigging complaint to the courts. Read more

Cape Verde Cape Verde to produce dragon fruit afrol News - Cape Verde authorities have invested large sums to diversify the arid country's agricultural sector. Now, the dragon fruit, originating in tropical America, is being introduced for the first commercial production in Africa. Read more

Egypt Even governors in Pharaonic Egypt died in their 20s afrol News - Researchers have analysed more than 200 mummies from ancient Egypt, finding that even high dignitaries were poorly nourished and had infectious diseases. The typical governor in Pharaonic Egypt died before he was 30 years old. Read more