Woman in Nkwete

A woman from a forest dependant community weaves baskets. These baskets are used for transport purposes. Despite being rich in natural resources, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most impoverished countries in the world, with over 40 million people dependent on the country's forests. Logging is seen by the World Bank and other donors as a way to alleviate poverty and promote economic development.

Unique identifier: GP0Y90

Type: Image

Shoot date: 21/10/2006

Locations: Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Équateur, Nkwete

Credit line: © Greenpeace / Philip Reynaers

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

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Democratic Republic Congo Forests Documentation 2006

The second largest rainforest in the world sits in the Congo basin of Africa. About half of this forest, still largely intact, lies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and supports more species of birds and mammals than any other African region. The rainforests are also critical for its human inhabitants, who depend upon the rainforests to provide essential food, medicine, and other non-timber products, along with energy and building materials. The World Bank and other donors view logging as a way to alleviate poverty and promote economic development. In reality, expansion of logging into remaining areas of intact forests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will destroy globally critical carbon reserves and impact biodiversity. Beyond environmental impacts, logging in the region exacerbates poverty and leads to social conflicts.

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