The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has initiated the second phase of its national “30×30 Strategy,” aiming to secure climate financing and advance efforts to protect 30% of its terrestrial, coastal, and marine areas by 2030.
The launch ceremony, held in Kinshasa on April 8, 2025, brought together government officials, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Indigenous leaders, and international partners, signaling a coordinated push to align biodiversity conservation with socio-economic development.
Building on progress from Phase 1, which harmonized the 30×30 goals with national frameworks like the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the National Biodiversity Strategy, Phase 2 focuses on mobilizing funding while prioritizing the rights and needs of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). Dr. Jean-Paul Kibambe Lubamba, WCS Country Director for the DRC, noted that initial consultations yielded a costed strategy explicitly tied to national priorities, including community engagement plans critical to equitable implementation.
“The DRC is committed to safeguarding biodiversity while ensuring economic growth aligns with climate resilience,” stated a representative from the Green Climate Fund’s National Coordination team. The initiative underscores the country’s dual focus on mitigating climate impacts and advancing sustainable development, particularly through projects that empower IPLCs as stewards of protected areas.
Funded by a Green Climate Fund grant administered through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), with additional support from the Bezos Earth Fund, the program unites over 15 partners, including government agencies, local NGOs, and international organizations. This marks the DRC’s 11th approved GCF-funded project, reflecting its growing role in global climate finance mobilization.
The DRC’s 30×30 Strategy emerges as a litmus test for balancing ecological preservation with human development in one of the world’s most biodiverse yet economically vulnerable nations. By centering Indigenous communities in its funding and planning processes, the initiative addresses longstanding critiques of top-down conservation models.
However, success hinges on transparent governance and sustained international support, particularly as the Congo Basin—a vital carbon sink—faces escalating pressures from deforestation and resource extraction.
As global biodiversity targets loom, the DRC’s approach could set precedents for integrating local voices into climate action, ensuring protections endure beyond political cycles.
