RCD Soldiers in Congo

Members of the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie (RCD) hold guns looking out over the forest. The RCD is a rebel movement that has now turned into a political party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Beneath the plateau lies Uganda, in the background.

Unique identifier: GP0IF8

Type: Image

Shoot date: 11/09/2004

Locations: Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Credit line: © Kim Gjerstad / Greenpeace

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

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Democratic Republic Congo Forests Documentation 2004-2006

The second largest rainforest in the world sits in the Congo basin of Africa. About half of this forest, still largely intact, lies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and supports more species of birds and mammals than any other African region. The rainforests are also critical for its human inhabitants, who depend upon the rainforests to provide essential food, medicine, and other non-timber products, along with energy and building materials. The World Bank and other donors view logging as a way to alleviate poverty and promote economic development. In reality, expansion of logging into remaining areas of intact forests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will destroy globally critical carbon reserves and impact biodiversity. Beyond environmental impacts, logging in the region exacerbates poverty and leads to social conflicts.

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