More than one million animal species inhabiting the Congo Basin forest, including rare plants, are at risk of extinction due to lack of protection and indiscriminate poaching, warned the French Ambassador to Angola, Sophie Aubert, on Thursday in the province of Cabinda.
Speaking at the International Scientific Conference on the Congo Basin Forests, the ambassador stated that endangered animals include various chimpanzee species, such as bonobos, as well as gorillas and elephants.
According to Aubert, the Congo Basin forests — including the Mayombe forest — are poorly protected and vulnerable when it comes to safeguarding plant and animal species. The Mayombe forest, in particular, suffers from high rates of degradation, mainly due to widespread logging and illegal hunting.
She advocated for urgent measures to protect the forest and native species to prevent a total collapse of biodiversity. To achieve this, she emphasized the need to invest more in training specialized professionals.
“We created the One Forest Vision project to map forest biodiversity and measure the carbon stored in the forests of the Amazon and Africa, especially the Congo Basin, which includes the Mayombe forest,” she revealed.
Through the One Forest Vision initiative, she explained, the most advanced scientific developments are being studied, combining them with artificial intelligence to tackle current environmental challenges and provide answers regarding the integrity of tropical forests.
“This regional scientific seminar is a great opportunity to learn more about the Cabinda forest, the second largest in the world after the Amazon,” she reiterated, noting that the results from the One Forest Vision studies will enable the production of more accurate deforestation and carbon emission maps for the Mayombe forest.
Currently, she added, the world lacks substantial information about the Mayombe forest. “That’s why Angola’s participation in this conference is extremely important,” she said.
The International Scientific Conference on the Congo Basin Forests, which concluded on Wednesday, the 16th, addressed topics over two days including “Regional Experiences in Forest Management in the Congo Basin.”
Held under the theme “Preserving Biodiversity and Combating Deforestation,” the conference brought together experts from Angola, both Congos, France, Gabon, and Portugal.
Source: Jornal de Angola
