Washington, D.C., October 20, 2025 – The Congo Basin, home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, has been found to hold immense value not only for the six countries it spans, but for the entire planet. In a new report released by the World Bank, it has been revealed that the region’s forests are not only vital for climate stability and biodiversity, but also serve as a foundation for economic resilience.
According to the report, the value of forest ecosystem services in the Congo Basin has nearly doubled in just two decades, increasing from $590 billion in 2000 to $1.15 trillion in 2020. During the same period, the total forest asset value also saw a significant surge, rising from $11.4 trillion to $23.2 trillion.
However, the report also highlights the varying levels of forest management, conservation, and data readiness across the region. While countries like Gabon and the Republic of Congo have successfully embedded forest sustainability into their national planning, with relatively low deforestation rates and strong biodiversity indicators, others such as Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea are still in the process of strengthening forest governance and implementing policies that integrate ecosystem values. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, on the other hand, face complex challenges such as rapid population growth and informal logging, mining, and agriculture, which pose a threat to the region’s forest resilience.
Titled “Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem Accounts”, the report, along with the individual country reports, provides a comprehensive overview of how forests can be fully integrated into macroeconomic planning to support economic diversification and climate finance strategies. The findings also highlight the potential for the forest sector to drive new opportunities, such as community-based ecotourism, forest monitoring, value-added processing of non-timber forest products, and results-based climate financing, which can shift the development narrative towards long-term sustainability and resilience.
Commenting on the report, Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa, stated, “For the first time, Congo Basin countries have developed a detailed forest ecosystem accounts showing the true value of their natural wealth. These forests, managed sustainably, can serve as powerful engines for sustainable development, contributing to job creation, supporting climate-smart growth, and strengthening local economies.”
However, the report also highlights a critical imbalance – while Congo forests generate over $1 trillion in global ecosystem services, with more than 90% of that value stemming from climate regulation, local governments only capture $8 billion in domestic benefits in 2020, primarily from timber, bushmeat, wild foods, and ecotourism.
In this regard, Valerie Hickey, World Bank Global Director for Climate Change, emphasized the importance of the forest ecosystem accounts, stating, “We can only manage what we can measure – this is why the forest ecosystem accounts for the Congo Basin will be so key for countries to unlock the power of their forests to drive development and jobs. This accounting can also help Congo Basin countries demonstrate the huge value that their forest conservation efforts bring to the rest of the world.”
Media contacts for the World Bank in various cities across the region have been provided for further information on the report.
