“One Forest Summit” in Gabon: protecting the rainforest
A sign in the streets of Libreville, February 28, 2023, announcing the One Forest Summit, scheduled in the Gabonese capital on March 1 and 2.
AFP - LUDOVIC MARIN
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
It is in Libreville that the One Forest Summit
, a high-level summit on the protection of tropical forests, is
launched this Wednesday, March 1 .
Several heads of state and government are expected, including Frenchman Emmanuel Macron, Congolese Denis Sassou Nguesso, Gabonese Ali Bongo of course, but also Angolan João Lourenzo and Central African Faustin-Archange Touadéra.
On the menu, the protection of the forests of the Congo Basin, in Central Africa, straddling Congo-Brazzaville, the DRC, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Advertisement
Read more
With our special correspondent in Libreville,
Paulina Zidi
The idea of this high-level meeting, confides one of the organizers, is to start discussions around three blocking factors.
First, there is the lack of scientific knowledge about these forests.
Specialists say they are sorely lacking markers, models to see the evolution in the face of climate change.
It is therefore necessary to fund scientific programs.
Another line of work: the absence, today, of a sustainable value chain.
If we produce responsible wood, we must be sure to sell it, explains a diplomat who took part in the discussions.
We therefore need companies that commit to buying it when it will be more expensive, he adds.
Finally, and this is probably the most sensitive subject: carbon financing.
The forests of the Congo Basin
are today those that capture the most greenhouse gases, and countries want to monetize this role.
Paying the ton of CO2 – 3 to 5 dollars – does not make sense, believe the specialists, who call for fixing the price between 30 and 50 dollars.
It is urgent to mobilize funds to train young researchers who will continue inventories and follow up in reference sites to understand the functioning of the Congo Basin forests.
One Forest Summit: Bonaventure Sonké's point of view
Claire Fages
This
One Forest Summit
does not convince everyone.
“
We can expect announcements, but it will always be announcements
,” explains an environmental activist present in Libreville.
Especially since there will be major absences: the presidents of the DRC, Félix Tshisekedi, and of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Their two countries have the most tropical forests, but they have no plans to make the trip.
► To read also: The Gabonese issue of Emmanuel Macron's tour in Central Africa
Young people don't lack ideas
Before the opening of the One Forest Summit, young Africans and Europeans held the
One Youth Forest Summit
on Tuesday 28 February .
What do they expect from the meeting which opens this Wednesday?
What will be their contribution?
Our correspondent in Libreville,
Yves-Laurent Goma
, went to meet them.
Paulin Lokonda is an environmental student in Kinshasa.
He came to plead for the reduction of the use of firewood in the villages and encourage the planting of 1,000 trees per year:
“
If each university succeeds in planting at least 1,000 trees per year, we will be rewarded for all that we have exploited.
It will benefit the global and African community.
»
Young volunteer on environmental issues, Mbake Ndiaye, from Senegal, takes part in an agricultural and reforestation project.
She explains :
“
There is reforestation on the mangrove side.
There is reforestation on the mainland side.
To protect the environment, there are many reforestation campaigns being carried out.
»
Under tents, Gabonese students from the National School of Water and Forests exhibit a nursery and cosmetic and consumer products extracted from trees.
They are united in an association led by Jerry Moundounga, who develops their project:
“
We help the forest concessions to be able to have nurseries to enable them, when they do the cutting, to replant.
Today, the solution that has been put in place is these nurseries to say ''we cut but we reforest''.
»
After their summit on the forest, the young people want their projects to benefit from technical assistance and funding from donors for their implementation.
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
Gabon
France
Congo Brazzaville
ground floor
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Equatorial Guinea
Environment
Climate change