The Democratic Republic of Congo is home to one of the world’s largest rainforests, second only to the Amazon. Larger than Alaska, it contains a massive peatlands area that has trapped the equivalent of three years’ worth of global carbon emissions.
It’s not surprising then that Congo’s decision to auction off large swaths of that area for oil and gas exploration has been met with outrage. But the government is merely following the global trend of kicking climate concern to the curb.
After all, everyone has other immediate priorities. As a government climate adviser told The New York Times, Congo’s priority is to reduce poverty and spur economic growth, not to “save the world.”
