Bringing together governments, GEF agencies, and a wide range of technical and implementing partners under the shared objective of “Strengthening the sustainable management of one of the world’s most important forest region”, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Congo Forest Integrated programme (Congo Forest IP,) spans diverse ecosystems and national contexts.
In the peatland landscapes of Bikoro, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a group of Indigenous women are quietly reshaping what sustainable livelihoods look like—building resilience for their families while contributing to the stewardship of one of the world’s most important ecosystems.
Working with locally with WWF, these women are strengthening agricultural practices adapted to peatland environments, while developing new opportunities that extend beyond the field.
Somalomo – Ngoyla – Lomié, Eastern Region, Cameroon - 2026
GEF-8 Dja Landscape Project - Mintom and Djoum Municipality, Cameroon _ February 2026
Institutional strengthening under the GEF-8 Dja Landscape Project has reached a decisive milestone in Mintom Council with the formal creation of an Ad Hoc Committee mandated to operationalize the Municipal Landscape Management Commission (MLMC). The Commission is envisioned as a permanent multi-stakeholder body to coordinate inclusive land and natural resource governance across the municipality.
The Climate Analysis and Policy Recommendations on Incorporating Climate Change Considerations into Integrated Land Use Management Plans in the Congo Basin report provides an evidence-based assessment of climate risks and practical pathways to integrate climate considerations into Integrated Land Use Management Plans (ILUMPs).
How can climate science better inform land-use decisions in one of the world’s most important forest regions?
This question was at the heart of a recent webinar hosted by the Congo Basin Landscapes Initiative (CBLI) together with the Woodwell Climate Research Center, marking the launch of a new report exploring climate impacts and policy pathways for the Congo Basin.
The "Model Documentation of the Hydrological Decision Support System" provides a comprehensive overview of the scientific approach and modeling tools underpinning UNEP's initiative to safeguard the Congo Basin peatlands—one of the world's most critical carbon stores and biodiversity hotspots. This technical report details the development and application of a conceptual hydrological model that evaluates the impacts of land use changes, infrastructure development, and climate variability on peatland hydrology and soil carbon dynamics.
The "Report on Development and Climate Change Scenarios for the Congo Basin Peatlands" provides a comprehensive analysis of how land use changes and climate variability may impact this vital ecosystem. Developed by UNEP, the report presents a hydrological and carbon modeling framework called the Hydrological Decision Support System (HDSS), designed to guide sustainable peatland management.
The Congo Basin peatlands are among the world’s most important natural assets for climate, water, and biodiversity. Potential future infrastructure expansion, changes in land use, and intensifying climate variability could place growing stress on these waterlogged ecosystems, threatening their ecological integrity and their role as a global climate stabilizer.