Publication: Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem Accounts and Policy Recommendations: A Regional Synthesis Report of Ecosystem Extent, Condition, Services, and Asset Accounts 2000-2020
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Published
2025-08-01
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2025-10-28
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Abstract
This regional synthesis report of the Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem Accounts (2000-2020) compiled from data for each these six countries (namely: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Republic of Congo. Ecosystem accounting enables countries to assess the value of their ecological capital, a key component of national wealth, by monitoring changes in ecosystem extent, condition, and ecosystem services in both physical and monetary terms. The accounts follow the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Ecosystem Accounting methods, a standardized framework that uses concepts, definitions, and classifications consistent with the System of National Accounts (SNA). The individual country reports are also available. The value of domestic benefits provided by the forest ecosystems is significant, ranging from one percent of GDP for Equatorial Guinea to 15.4 percent of GDP for the Central African Republic. With global climate regulation being especially important, reflecting more than 95 percent of the value in most countries. Forest ecosystems in the Congo Basin retained around 90.9 billion tons of carbon in 2020, equivalent to 333.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide, which is 10x the amount of the total global emissions from the energy sector in 2020 (34.5 billion tons). The total asset value of the Congo Basin’s forests has almost doubled from US$ 12.3 trillion in 2000 to US$ 23.2 trillion in 2020. The overall asset value without the global public good value of climate change regulation stood at US$ 106 billion in 2000 and US$ 154 billion in 2020. While the total asset values are increasing, the per capita values are not keeping up with population growth. If one excludes the global public good value of carbon the picture becomes more negative, with a decrease in per capita of forests across all countries. These accounts should be institutionalized and enhanced periodically to inform policy and planning. The Congo Basin forests offer substantial ecological benefits, many of which remain unmonetized. These forest ecosystem accounts can improve understanding and inform policy development relating to the natural resource management sectors and those that impact on these assets, and on monetization of these critical ecosystem services.
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“World Bank Group. 2025. Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem Accounts and Policy Recommendations: A Regional Synthesis Report of Ecosystem Extent, Condition, Services, and Asset Accounts 2000-2020. © World Bank Group. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/43866 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
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This study on Deforestation Trends in the Congo Basin: Reconciling economic growth and forest protection analyzes the current and future pressures exerted by different sectors of the economy on Congo Basin forests, and highlights policy options to limit deforestation while pursuing inclusive, green growth. Emerging environmental finance mechanisms, such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) under the climate change negotiations, may provide additional resources to help countries protect their forests. But there are already a number of “no-regret” actions that countries can take to grow along a sustainable development path.
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