Congo Basin Holds $23 Trillion in Untapped Green Wealth

KINSHASA — A landmark World Bank report has thrust the Congo Basin into the global spotlight, estimating the region’s total forest value at $23.2 trillion, positioning it as a sleeping economic giant and a climate powerhouse for Africa and the world.

The report, titled “Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem Accounts,” reveals a dramatic rise in the basin’s natural asset value, nearly doubling from $590 billion in 2000 to $1.15 trillion in 2020 for ecosystem services alone, and reaching an astonishing $23.2 trillion when factoring in total forest wealth.

Green Wealth, Undercapitalized Reality

Despite its massive ecological value, the region’s local governments earned only $8 billion in 2020, primarily through traditional sectors such as timber, bushmeat, wild foods, and ecotourism, a mere fraction of its full economic potential.

“These forests, managed sustainably, can serve as powerful engines for development, creating jobs, enabling climate-smart growth, and strengthening local economies.” Ousmane Diagana, World Bank VP for Western & Central Africa.

The Congo Basin: Africa’s Ecological Backbone

Stretching across six African nations, the Congo Basin is the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world, after the Amazon. It serves as the “lungs of Africa,” absorbing carbon, regulating rainfall, and sustaining biodiversity crucial for millions.

Among the countries, Gabon and the Republic of Congo are taking the lead by embedding forest sustainability into national policy. Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea are reinforcing governance systems. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), home to over 60% of the basin, holds the largest share of this ecological wealth, but faces rising pressures from informal logging, artisanal mining, and expanding agriculture.

DRC’s Strategic Opportunity

For the DRC under President Félix Tshisekedi, the report serves as both a wake-up call and a window of opportunity. With the right policies, green finance mechanisms, and international partnerships, the country can:

• Integrate natural capital into macroeconomic planning

• Attract climate-aligned investments

• Scale sustainable forest-based industries

• Build local resilience against climate shocks

This aligns with recent national reforms and green diplomacy efforts championed by DRC’s leadership on the African and global stage.

The Path Forward: From Extraction to Regeneration

The World Bank urges governments to move beyond extractive practices and recognize forests as core national assets, essential not just for carbon markets, but for long-term economic sovereignty.

“The Congo Basin isn’t just a carbon sink, it’s a green vault. One that, if protected and valued, could redefine Africa’s place in the global green economy,”

📊 Key Figures from the Report

• $23.2 trillion: Total forest asset value

• $1.15 trillion: Annual ecosystem services value (2020)

• $8 billion: Economic benefits captured by basin countries (2020)

• 6 nations covered: DRC, Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, CAR

Congo’s Role in Climate-Driven Growth

As the world accelerates toward net-zero goals, Congo's forest assets are no longer just environmental talking points; they are strategic development capital. From carbon credit markets to green infrastructure, the DRC is poised to become a continental leader in climate-smart development