As global leaders gather in Brazil for COP30, the Democratic Republic of Congo is presenting a bold, community-driven solution to the climate crisis. A new briefing released by over 20 Congolese civil society and Indigenous groups makes the case for community forestry as a key strategy to fight deforestation, protect biodiversity, and improve rural livelihoods.

The DRC is home to 60% of the world’s second-largest rainforest and has a significant influence on the global climate. Since 2016, its legal framework has allowed local communities to claim and manage forest land — up to 50,000 hectares each — for conservation, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem services. Today, 227 community forests already cover over 4.5 million hectares, with potential for much more.

The briefing aligns community forestry with DRC’s major international commitments, including its updated climate targets (NDCs), the Congo Basin Compact, and the 30x30 biodiversity pledge. It also highlights the “Couloir Vert” — the world’s largest community forest corridor stretching from Beni to Kinshasa.

Civil society is calling for greater funding, legal reforms, and national expansion of this model. “Community forestry works,” the document states. “It secures rights, protects forests, and supports livelihoods.” As Congo positions itself as a solutions country, it asks the international community to invest in local, rights-based approaches to climate justice.

🔗 Download the full briefing: “Community Forests in DRC: A Solution for a ‘Solutions Country’” – Nov 2025