Congo/ Sustainable development: the two Congos and UNEP join forces to conserve biodiversity

From March 13 to 14 in Brazzaville, the Ministry of the Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin (MEDDBC), in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organized a consultative workshop for stakeholders in the project "Securing critical biodiversity, carbon and water reserves in the peatlands of the Congo Basin through decision-making and good governance".

Funded by the German government through the International Climate Initiative, the workshop aimed to support the governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo (RC) in their efforts to conserve and sustainably manage peatlands, while contributing to the development of biodiversity.mocratique du Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo (RC) in their efforts to conserve and sustainably manage peatlands, while contributing to the development of biodiversity.

The meeting brought together representatives of national and international organizations, public authorities, technical experts, technical and financial partners and civil society players, who will examine the broad outlines of the project and outline the implementation strategy for the coming years.

The project includes environmental enhancement, support for local means of substance and strengthening of scientific evidence in policy-making related to peatland management, including biodiversity, climate, hydrology as well as peatland mapping.

The workshop marked the start of a strategic series aimed at strengthening informed decision-making and good governance in peatland management.management of peatlands, essential ecosystems that play a key role in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity.

"The management of peatlands as a fundamental aspect of the fight against climate change and the protection of the planet is becoming a reality. It's thanks to these resources that we're working more and more to get the countries of the Congo Basin to lay the foundations and develop strategies to ensure that peatlands are included in strategies, policies and programmes.res into strategies, decisions and public policies", said George Neba Akwah, head of the United Nations Environment Program.

The project is structured around five axes, including enabling environment, biodiversity and habitat, water and climate, peatlands and ecosystems, capacity building and knowledge management. The initiative is supported by UNEP and funded by the German government through the International Climate Initiative.

Germany committed to preserving critical ecosystems

This contribution testifies to Germany's commitment to preserving critical ecosystems on a global scale. "We're here today to talk about a fundamental aspect of peatlands, namely science and knowledge, which is an aspect dear to Minister Arlette Soudan-Nonault's heart, that we want to work on things we have no knowledge of. Component 3, which is water and climate, is the main objective: to develop and make available to public institutions in both countries, the DRC and the RC, an ideological decision support system", he insisted.

The water and climate workstream is based on three pillars, the first of which is the collection and production of scientific evidence, whether from existing data, information or knowledge. And, the second pillar involves the development of tools and plans that facilitate access to, and use of, scientific evidence for policy-making and decision-making. This includes a hydrological decision support system.

The workshop was attended by a number of high-ranking personalities, including the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Wolfgang Klapper.Germany, Wolfgang Klapper, who reaffirmed in his speech the importance of international cooperation for the sustainable protection of the Congo Basin's natural resources. "What I would like to add is that we had a working meeting with the Minister and her representatives. We visited the national parks and nature reserves .....", Wolfgang Klapper pointed out.

The workshop also marked the implementation of the project's Axis 3 activities, focusing on water and climate, as part of the Congolese government's ongoing efforts to strengthen the country's ecological resilience and promote sustainable development in harmony with global climate and environmental objectives. Speaking on behalf of Minister Arlette Soudan-Nonault, who was unable to attend, the departmental director praised the excellent cooperation between Congo and Germany, as well as the fruitful collaboration between the two countries.Germany, as well as the fruitful collaboration between the Congolese government and the project's implementing agencies, namely UNEP and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

"The issue of preserving ecosystems and biodiversity remains crucial, as the survival of humanity depends on it. The Lac Télé - Lac Tumba landscape stretches from the central basin in the northern part of the RC to the Equateur province of the DRC, covering an area of 156,400 ^km2, of which 54,001 ^km2 is in the RC. This landscape alone constitutes a crucial ecosystem for the region, as well as for the entire Congo Basin sub-region", noted Olga Ossombi, Departmental Director in her capacity as representative of the Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin.

"The project "Securing critical biodiversity, carbon and water reserves in the peatlands of the Congo Basin through informed decision-making and good governance", funded by the International Climate Initiative, under the aegis of the French Ministry of the Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin.international climate initiative, under the aegis of the German government, aims to support the governments of the RC and DRC, and stakeholders to mitigate climate and development impacts on biodiversity, water and carbon resources", she concluded.

The workshop identified the challenges and opportunities associated with peatland management, and laid the foundations for enhanced collaboration between technical and financial partners, as well as local communities. This dynamic initiative by the two Congos represents a significant step forward in the fight against climate change and the preservation of the natural wealth of the Congo Basin, considered to be one of the planet's green lungs.

Source: www.adiac-congo.com/