Deforestation and forest degradation in the Congo Basin: State of knowledge, current causes and perspectives

Abstract

The present report analyses the state of deforestation and degradation of the Congo Basin (Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central Africa Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo) forests with a view to proposing to policy makers the means by which to reduce deforestation and the related emissions from deforestation and degradation. It is established that in the absence of decisions and vigorous actions, deforestation will increase substantially in the countries of the region because of large programmes that are being put in place in view of their emergence. For instance, Cameroon, a country for which data are available, could lose more than two million hectares of forests by 2035.