FAO launches inaugural field project in Congo Basin to advance sustainable peatland management for climate action
20/03/2024
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched its first-ever peatlands field project in the Congo Basin, supporting climate action and sustainable livelihoods in the region.
The landmark “Global approaches to securing carbon, water, and biodiversity in peatlands, focus on the Congo Basin” project leverages best practices on sustainable peatland management and state-of-the-art technology, including FAO's SEPAL platform and a suite of monitoring tools, to promote evidence-based decision-making on peatlands and actively support the people who depend on them.
The project has field activities in the Lac Télé–Lac Tumba landscape, a cross-border Ramsar site situated in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. The area encompasses at least 165 000 square kilometers of peatlands, holding around 29 gigatons of carbon – equivalent to two years of global emissions – making it a crucial freshwater biodiversity hotspot in Africa that sustains local livelihoods.
“FAO's inaugural, field-level peatland project in the Congo Basin is a pivotal step towards harnessing innovative solutions and fostering collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and other key stakeholders for climate action on peatland landscapes,” said Yannick Rasoarimanana, FAO Representative in the Republic of the Congo.
"The launch of this initiative in the Congo Basin is the result of a careful planning and joint effort bringing together many stakeholders and partners. We’re thrilled to see the start of activities and believe this will constitute a significant step towards the sustainable development and climate resilience in the region,” said Aristide Ongone Obame, FAO Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The tools and approaches developed together with partners will serve as inspiration for other countries with forested, tropical peatlands, through innovative knowledge exchange efforts.
Consultative workshop
FAO’s first official activity is the national consultative workshop “Water, climate and peatland monitoring tools” taking place between 18–19 March 2024 in Brazzaville and 21–22 March in Kinshasa. Co-organized by FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UNEP-DHI Center on Water and Environment, the workshop aims to foster collaboration and strengthen the transformative dialogue between stakeholders regarding water-related challenges and peatland monitoring needs to stimulate impactful climate action in the region.
“FAO's commitment to fostering sustainable livelihoods in peatland landscapes is centered on a collaborative approach, effectively engaging with local communities,” said Maria Nuutinen, Forestry Officer, leading the technical work at FAO. “The combination of monitoring tools, including community-led monitoring, helps stakeholders to follow the development of this significant peatland complex and supports adaptive decision-making based on the new information available. Together we will drive innovation for lasting sustainability solutions.”
Project partners
The project is implemented in close collaboration with UNEP, the main grantee of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and executed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin of the Republic of the Congo.
Other project partners include GRID-Geneva, the UNEP-DHI Center on Water and Environment, the University of Leeds, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature.
The landmark “Global approaches to securing carbon, water, and biodiversity in peatlands, focus on the Congo Basin” project leverages best practices on sustainable peatland management and state-of-the-art technology, including FAO's SEPAL platform and a suite of monitoring tools, to promote evidence-based decision-making on peatlands and actively support the people who depend on them.
The project has field activities in the Lac Télé–Lac Tumba landscape, a cross-border Ramsar site situated in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. The area encompasses at least 165 000 square kilometers of peatlands, holding around 29 gigatons of carbon – equivalent to two years of global emissions – making it a crucial freshwater biodiversity hotspot in Africa that sustains local livelihoods.
“FAO's inaugural, field-level peatland project in the Congo Basin is a pivotal step towards harnessing innovative solutions and fostering collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and other key stakeholders for climate action on peatland landscapes,” said Yannick Rasoarimanana, FAO Representative in the Republic of the Congo.
"The launch of this initiative in the Congo Basin is the result of a careful planning and joint effort bringing together many stakeholders and partners. We’re thrilled to see the start of activities and believe this will constitute a significant step towards the sustainable development and climate resilience in the region,” said Aristide Ongone Obame, FAO Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The tools and approaches developed together with partners will serve as inspiration for other countries with forested, tropical peatlands, through innovative knowledge exchange efforts.
Consultative workshop
FAO’s first official activity is the national consultative workshop “Water, climate and peatland monitoring tools” taking place between 18–19 March 2024 in Brazzaville and 21–22 March in Kinshasa. Co-organized by FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UNEP-DHI Center on Water and Environment, the workshop aims to foster collaboration and strengthen the transformative dialogue between stakeholders regarding water-related challenges and peatland monitoring needs to stimulate impactful climate action in the region.
“FAO's commitment to fostering sustainable livelihoods in peatland landscapes is centered on a collaborative approach, effectively engaging with local communities,” said Maria Nuutinen, Forestry Officer, leading the technical work at FAO. “The combination of monitoring tools, including community-led monitoring, helps stakeholders to follow the development of this significant peatland complex and supports adaptive decision-making based on the new information available. Together we will drive innovation for lasting sustainability solutions.”
Project partners
The project is implemented in close collaboration with UNEP, the main grantee of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and executed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin of the Republic of the Congo.
Other project partners include GRID-Geneva, the UNEP-DHI Center on Water and Environment, the University of Leeds, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature.