World Conservation Congress 2025: Key outcomes for Congo Basin Forests

A Turning Point for the Congo Basin: Key Outcomes from the 2025 IUCN WCC

The 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress, held under the theme “Powering transformative conservation,” concluded with a series of bold commitments and actionable frameworks to address the triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. Among the most significant outcomes were those directly relevant to the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest and a vital carbon sink, biodiversity hotspot, and lifeline for millions of people.

A Global Mandate for Urgent Action

The Congress adopted the Abu Dhabi Call to Action, a unifying document urging “bold, transformative action across all sectors.” It emphasizes five priority areas: reaffirming nature’s central role, strengthening multilateralism, ensuring justice and inclusion, advancing knowledge and innovation, and scaling resources for action. For the Congo Basin, this translates into renewed international attention and a mandate for integrated, rights-based conservation.

Specific Motion on the Congo Basin

One of the region's most notable successes was the adoption of a motion aimed at preventing irreversible ecological damage and tipping points in the Congo Basin. The motion recognizes the growing body of scientific evidence indicating the risks of ecological collapse in the region from deforestation, industrial activity, and climate change. Crucially, it calls for the establishment of a Congo Basin Tipping Point Assessment Task Force, mandated to deliver a science-based report with recommendations by 2028.

This task force will play a pivotal role in guiding policy and investment decisions, ensuring that development in the Congo Basin does not come at the expense of ecological integrity or local livelihoods.

Integrating Rights and Knowledge

Throughout the Congress, there was a strong emphasis on rights-based approaches and on integrating Indigenous and local knowledge. The motion on the Congo Basin aligns with this ethos, urging the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in conservation planning and implementation. This is especially critical in the Congo Basin, where IPLCs are often the primary stewards of forest resources.

Additionally, the Congress approved motions recognizing the role of Indigenous languages and traditional knowledge, and supporting community stewardship through dedicated funding, both of which are directly relevant to Congo Basin conservation efforts.

Finance and Private Sector Engagement

The Congress also advanced discussions on financing mechanisms for nature. The launch of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund and the emphasis on redirecting harmful subsidies and mobilizing private capital are promising signals for regions like the Congo Basin, which has historically been underfunded.

A motion on amplifying the role of the private sector in achieving a nature-positive world further underscores the need for corporate accountability and investment in high-integrity conservation projects.

Risks and Opportunities

While the outcomes are promising, the Congress also revealed tensions. The motion on the Congo Basin saw amendments that softened some language, for example, rejecting a call for guidelines on “responsible and sustainable development” and extending the timeline for the task force’s report to 2028. These compromises reflect the challenging balance between conservation and development priorities.

Nevertheless, the very existence of a dedicated Congo Basin motion signals a growing recognition of the region’s global importance and vulnerability.

Conclusion

The 2025 IUCN Congress has set the stage for a more coordinated, science-driven, and equitable approach to conserving the Congo Basin. The establishment of a tipping point assessment task force, combined with global commitments to finance, rights, and multilateral cooperation, offers a tangible pathway to safeguarding one of the world’s most critical ecosystems.

The challenge now lies in implementation. As the Abu Dhabi Call to Action reminds us, we have only five years left to meet the 2030 goals. For the Congo Basin, and for the planet, the time for transformative action is now.

©Photos WWF-DRC