As the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) prepares to open dozens of new oil blocks in the heart of the Congo Basin rainforest, the world holds its breath. This political decision threatens one of the planet’s largest carbon sinks, while exacerbating inequality, conflict, and humanitarian crises in the region. In this op-ed, Babawale Obayanju, campaign strategist for Oil Change International, makes a clear call: there is still time to choose life, justice, and energy sovereignty over the fossil fuel dead end.
The DRC is one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth. It contains more than half of the Congo Basin rainforest—the second largest carbon sink on the planet after the Amazon—as well as peatlands that store about 30 gigatonnes of carbon. This ecological heritage, vital for global climate stability, is now under threat from the expansion of the oil industry. In 2022, the Congolese government launched a bidding round for 52 new oil and gas blocks, including areas that overlap with peatlands and nature reserves. This decision revives the risk of large-scale exploitation in one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems, at a time when scientists and climate advocates are urgently calling for a transition away from fossil fuels.
Oil extraction in the DRC is not new, but its consequences are becoming increasingly visible. Existing projects have already led to forced displacement of communities, land conflicts, destruction of natural habitats, and river pollution. Who benefits? Largely, multinational corporations and local elites—while local communities see their environments destroyed and their living conditions worsen. At the center of this new scramble for black gold are two critical regions: the Central Cuvette and the Albertine Graben, located at the intersection of the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan. On the Ugandan side, companies like TotalEnergies and CNOOC are already developing the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields, linked to the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). This massive pipeline will run through protected areas all the way to the Tanzanian coast, threatening entire ecosystems. Exploiting the Congolese blocks will likely depend on this megaproject. But rather than spurring development, such investments risk deepening debt, widening inequality, and further weakening ecosystems.
One fact must be emphasized: Africa has contributed only about 2% of historical global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet it is one of the continents most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In the DRC, the provinces of North Kivu, Ituri, and South Kivu are already facing the combined effects of climate disruption and armed conflict—fueled by competition over natural resources. Over 7 million people have been displaced, and 23.4 million Congolese are currently suffering from food insecurity.
Women and children are the most vulnerable. According to UN data, serious violations against children rose by 30% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the end of 2023. In this context, continuing to bet on fossil fuels only feeds a vicious cycle of poverty, violence, and injustice.
Oil and gas projects do not deliver lasting benefits for African populations. As highlighted in the The Sky’s Limit Africa report by Oil Change International, these projects deepen economic dependence, fuel corruption, and strip communities of sovereignty over their land and resources. Another path is possible. Decentralized renewable energy—solar, wind, and community-based systems—creates up to five times more jobs per dollar invested than fossil fuels. They support local economies, protect ecosystems, and strengthen community resilience.
In solidarity with the Congolese people and forest defenders, we issue a global call to the international community, donors, and regional institutions to:
- Impose an immediate moratorium on new fossil fuel projects in the Congo Basin;
- Enact binding legal protections for Indigenous and local communities;
- Fund just energy transitions and climate adaptation;
- Hold corporations accountable for human rights abuses and environmental destruction.
The DRC is not a blank slate for extractive powers’ ambitions. It is a green lung of the planet, a land of dignity, resistance, and life. The world must choose: will we continue sacrificing African forests for a few more years of profit, or will we finally protect what remains—for those who are here, and those yet to come?
By Kilalopress
