The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is home to many species of rare and endangered wildlife, such as mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas and bonobos. But the country has plans to open more than half its land \u2014 including 306 million acres of intact tropical forest and vital gorilla habitat \u2014 to oil and gas drilling.<\/p>\n
DRC\u2019s government began an auctioning round for 52 oil blocks \u2014 in addition to three that had been previously awarded \u2014 threatening 64 percent of the country\u2019s pristine forest, according to a new report by Earth Insight: Forests to Frontlines: Oil Expansion Threats in the DRC.<\/p>\n
\u201cTowering rainforest canopies, winding river systems, and vast carbon-rich peatlands make the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) one of the most ecologically significant places on Earth. Home to the second-largest tropical rainforest on the planet, the DRC harbors an astonishing wealth of biodiversity including elephants, great apes, endemic birds, and thousands of plant species that thrive in its intact ecosystems,\u201d a press release from Earth Insight said. \u201cIts Cuvette Centrale peatlands store massive amounts of carbon, critical to fighting climate change. The landscapes that form this rich mosaic of life are also a lifeline for millions of people, supporting local livelihoods, cultural identity, and climate resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is estimated that the area being auctioned off is home to about 39 million people, including many forest-based and Indigenous communities who depend on the tropical forests and rivers for their survival.<\/p>\n
\u201cImagine: 39 million Congolese people\u2026 and 64% of our forests could be directly affected by the awarding of these oil blocks,\u201d said Pascal Mirindi, Notre Terre Sans P\u00e9trole\u2019s campaign coordinator, as The Guardian reported. \u201cAnd all this while the government is promoting the Kivu-Kinshasa ecological corridor. Where is the logic? Where is the coherence? We are reminding our leaders that the Congolese people are the primary sovereign. We will not remain silent while certain people organise themselves to sell off our future.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nGorilla habitats and pristine forest at risk as DRC opens half of country to oil and gas drilling bids<\/p>\n
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\u2014 Guardian Environment (@environment.theguardian.com<\/a>) July 29, 2025 at 5:04 AM<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n