Securing crucial biodiversity, carbon and water stores in the Congo Basin Peatlands by enabling evidence based decision making and good governance.

The Lac Télé/Lac Tumba landscape is a unique ecosystem shared between both Kongos. The landscape stores enormous amounts of carbon and harbors important populations of endemic species. The project supports the governments and stakeholders to mitigate climate and development impacts on biodiversity, water and carbon. The project contributes to a biodiversity-friendly development pathway through effective integrated land-use plans, improved sustainable livelihood approaches, methods, data and tools, addressing peatland and water monitoring, the National Investment Plans, and cross-sectoral coordination. This ultimately supports the conservation and sustainable management of the peatlands. Countries benefit of South-South cooperation to chart a new pathway to the sustainable management of their peatlands, for the benefit of people, and conserving its ecosystem services. The current undeveloped status of the region offers a critical opportunity to promote evidence based land use planning and improve natural resource management.

Project data

Countries
The Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo
IKI funding
15,000,000.00 €
Included preparation phase
214,552.00 €
Duration
01/2022 till 12/2027
Status
open
Implementing organisation
United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) - Kenya
Political Partner
  • Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development - DR Congo
  • Ministry of Tourism and Environment - Republic Congo
Implementing Partner
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

State of implementation/results

  • Countries benefit of South-South cooperation to chart a new pathway to the sustainable management of their peatlands, for the benefit of people, and conserving its ecosystem services. The current undeveloped status of the region offers a critical opportunity to promote evidence based land use planning and improve natural resource governance.
  • The consortium of UNEP and FAO conducted inception workshops in Kinshasa (DRC) and Brazzaville (RoC) during the week of June 6-10 2022. The purpose of the inception workshops was to present the project to stakeholders, show commitment from the governments in both Congos and agree on the next steps. Bilateral meetings with technical partners and stakeholders were held as well. Important next steps include nomination of technical focal in relevant ministries to ensure cross sectoral collaboration.
  • In October 2022, DRC was hosting the Africa Pre-CoP for the UNFCCC CoP. The project provided technical contributions.
  • On 4 September - as part of African Climate Week and ahead of COP28 - UNEP co-hosted a side event entitled "Unlocking sustainable investment in Nature-based Solutions for Climate Action in Africa (forests and peatlands)", where the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Congo highlighted the importance of investing in the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of peatlands in the Congo Basin.
  • A Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) was signed between UNEP and DHI A/S on 23 June 2023. Since the signing, the UNEP-DHI Centre has conducted a literature review of key documents to assess data availability and refine the proposed methodology. A mission for consultations in both countries is planned for late September/early October 2023.
  • On 17 and 18 May, UNEP and partners collaborated with two complementary events targeting the private sector, held in London, UK, with the participation of the Head of the DRC Peatlands Unit to understand the current status and opportunities for investment in peatlands.

Latest Update:
12/2023

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