DRC Approves Oil Exploration in Critical Peatland
Oil production in the heart of the Congo Basin would be devastating for the climate, nature and people (© istockphoto.com)
May 7, 2025
In a shock announcement, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has approved the opening 52 new oil exploration blocks in the fragile ecosystem of the Cuvette Centrale peatlands. Doing so threatens its rich biodiversity, the global climate and the rights of the local population. The move has so angered Congolese environmental organizations who are calling for an immediate halt.
The government in Kinshasa made the announcement on May 2nd, without providing any details, maps or documents locating the division of these blocks. This is in addition to the 3 oil blocks that had already been awarded to the company CoMiCo.
Drilling for oil in the Cuvette Centrale peatlands, a sensitive ecosystem and one of the last major carbon sinks on the planet, would be devastating in the fight against the climate crisis and species extinction. The move also goes against the Congo’s claim to be the “solution country” and directly contradicts the Paris Climate Agreement. International donors who are helping to finance forest protection in the Congo, including Germany and the EU, should be alarmed by this announcement.
Notre Terre Sans Pétrole Cries Stop!
Environmental organizations are crying foul. Notre Terre Sans Pétrole, a coalition made up of 176 Congolese and international organizations, signed a declaration that unanimously rejects the project.
The coalition fears that the oil fields will overlap with extremely species-rich forests and designated conservation areas. In addition, the oil blocks most likely extend into the recently established Couloir Vert Kivu-Kinshasa (Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor), a conservation corridor that stretches from the Kivu provinces in the east to the capital Kinshasa in the west. This would mean “sacrificing local communities and indigenous peoples on the altar of an illusory, short-term and fundamentally unjust development”, the statement reads.
Oil vs Forests: a Destructive Decision by the Government
In light of the decision to open up 52 new oil blocks in the Cuvette Centrale, Notre Terre Sans Pétrole demands from the government:
- The immediate halt to the process of selling the 52 oil blocks in the central basin;
- The cancellation of the three oil and gas blocks already awarded;
- A complete moratorium on oil and gas exploration and production in the DRC.
In particular, the coalition calls on international partners, donors and companies “not to support, finance or participate in these destructive projects that betray the aspirations of the Congolese people for a future of peace, justice and dignity.”
Previous Attempts to Auction 27 Oil Blocks Failed
In July 2022, the government in Kinshasa had attempted to auction off 27 oil blocks across the country. In October 2024, it abandoned the process, partly due to legal irregularities and a lack of interest from the oil industry. However, oil fields on the shores of Lake Albert remain an issue with the potential of going forward. With the EACOP pipeline currently under construction, oil could be exported from DRC via Uganda and Tanzania, traversing through sensitive ecosystems and protected areas. Rainforest Rescue is involved in alliances with several partners and petitions against the oil projects in the Congo and against EACOP.
