The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), home to a significant portion of the Congo Basin's lush forests, is facing an alarming trend of environmental incidents. A recent fire alert in the Lualaba region underscores the ongoing challenges the country faces in preserving its natural heritage. Over the past two decades, the DRC has experienced a net loss of over 6 million hectares of tree cover, which constitutes a 3.55% decrease in its forested area. This loss is primarily driven by shifting agriculture, accounting for the vast majority of tree cover loss, followed by urbanization, forestry, and wildfires.
The data reveals a disturbing pattern of deforestation, with the highest annual tree cover loss exceeding 1.30 million hectares in 2014. Despite a slight decrease in the following years, the numbers remain critically high. The impact of these losses is profound, not only on the local ecosystems and biodiversity but also on the global climate, given the role of the Congo Basin as a carbon sink.
Explore country profileThe DRC's expansive area of over 232 million hectares, with nearly 200 million hectares covered by trees, is a vital component of the Earth's ecological balance. The recent fire incident, although seemingly small with just one alert, is a reminder of the vulnerability of this region to environmental degradation. The ongoing loss of tree cover, if not addressed, threatens to destabilize the delicate equilibrium of this global resource.
