Whether it is a country that emits very little carbon dioxide or one that absorbs the most, every nation of the world today is overwhelmed by the effects of climate change and, as such, there is a pressing need for strong collaboration, in-depth exchange, and effective global governance mechanisms to tackle environmental challenges.

Gabon has been able to make history by keeping its forests green. These forests, which have been referred to as the “last garden of Eden”, absorb a total of 140 million tons of CO2 every year, the equivalent of removing 30 million cars from the road globally, making Gabon one of the most carbon positive countries in the world, with very low-carbon emission and very high absorption rate.

However drastic seasonal changes, landslides, urbanization, and illegal mining and logging, still pose a great threat to the country’s forest conservation initiatives. In the face of all these, the use of satellite imagery by the government has proven to be an effective strategy. However, an effective partnership with China, both a major emitter as well as a leader in green technology, will further boost the attainment of expected results.

Climate Change

According to the Executive Secretary of the UN Climate Convention, climate change remains humanity’s greatest challenge. Bearing this in mind, countries must demonstrate a transformational shift in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. A green environment is important in attaining sustainable global development today because nature provides the foundation and conditions for human survival. The objectives of the Paris Agreement include reaching net-zero emissions by the middle of the twenty-first century, to remain below a temperature increase of 1.5 °C in global warming and to cut emissions by 5% by 2030, among others. According to the Convention, the five main impacts of climate change are storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and warming oceans.

Green Gabon

The forests of Gabon represent more than green energy for the indigenous people; it provides them food, medicine, spiritual wellness, and other benefits. To preserve harmony between humanity and the environment, the government of Gabon strictly adheres to the principles of the Paris Agreement, to which it is a signatory.

From the Massaha Ancestral Forest in the northeast of Gabon to Loango Park in the Ogooué–Maritime, down to the Lope Park in Ogooue–Ivindo and back to Akanda National Park in the heart of Libreville, the model used for forest preservation and conservation is the same and aligns with the “Green Gabon” national agenda which aims to improve the productivity of agricultural and forestry activities while minimizing the ecological footprint of human activities.

The Republic of Gabon belongs to the Congo basin, the second-largest carbon sink in the world. Green forest occupies over 88% of the country, and deforestation rates are as low as 0.08%. Gabon is serving and saving the planet by keeping its forests intact, and if Gabon were to cut its trees and mismanage its biodiversity, Africa would witness far more droughts and flooding than there are today.

Cognizant of the strategic role of the forests in solving the problem of climate change and attaining the sustainable development goals, the President and Head of State of the Republic of Gabon, H.E. Ali Bongo Ondimba, is building a culture that fosters a concept of strong environmental conservation and preservation of the country’s untouched natural resources. This unassailable political commitment has made Gabon an exemplary model of environmental conservation and, since 2000, the country has successfully created 13 national parks.

Thanks to government’s altruistic environmental policies, Gabon has preserved its forests and oceans and pursued a consistent vision and coherent policy on deforestation. The country is also proactively addressing land degradation. In 2009, the Gabonese government enacted a nationwide ban on whole log exports.

Gabon has experienced the firsthand benefits of carbon sequestration for job creation and enhanced climate resilience. Gabon has 13 natural parks, one of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gabon has also ensured the sustainable management of its timber resources making sure that all forest concessions are FSC certified.

The Grant

Gabon is the first African country to receive result-based payment for reduced deforestation and forest degradation emissions (US$150 million) from the Central African Forest Initiative-CAFI. The reward is a clear indication that with a realistic, multidimensional, and holistic approach, and emission reductions can be achieved in the Congo Basin.

To maximize the impact of the award, Gabon and CAFI have agreed that the first payment of US$17 million will go toward activities that decrease CO2 emissions and enhance sustainable development in local communities, support forest law and enforcement to combat illegal activities, support community initiatives to improve income, and promote the welfare of households in related communities, and to improve the capacity of national park staff.

Challenges and Strategies

As a continent, Africa has contributed the least to climate change thanks to the Congo Basin, in which Gabon lies. It is responsible for less than 4% of global emissions, but is still the most impacted by climate change. Gabon, like every other African country, still feels the effects of climate change in the form of soaring temperatures, seasonal flooding, landslides, and rising sea levels, which affects lives, causes loss of shelter for millions, and increases poverty in a range of communities. As a result, Gabon feels a sense of urgency to enact smart climate strategies rather than delay and proffer crisis responses to the impact of climate change.

Today, there is a need for Gabon and Africa to continue to put in greater efforts that will result in more realistic, multidimensional, and holistic approaches and build a resilient framework at all levels in order to meet the challenges of climate change. Consequently, smart climate strategies have to be aligned with government policies and budgeting by all countries to combat this phenomenon.

According to an October 2022 World Bank report, climate change could result in GDP annual losses ranging between 2 and 12% by 2050 in Africa. Meanwhile, in the Sahel Region, 13.5 million more people could be affected by poverty by 2050. Therefore, it is against this backdrop, that Gabon is seeking lasting solutions toward the development of smart climate policies, at the national, sub-regional, and international levels.

At the national level, the greatest threat to forests is illegal mining and logging. To put an end to these dangerous activities, the Gabonese government has set up a satellite observation center and uses satellite imagery to achieve targeted results.

Urban development is also an increasing threat to protected areas. For instance, the size of the Mondah Forest north of Libreville has been decreasing, losing 40% of its total area over the past 80 years.

In 2010, the government established a national climate council, which serves as a facilitator to align climate change issues with sectorial development policies

It is against this backdrop that we have developed a sustainable forest management strategy to improve and enhance efforts to counter climate change, which is of paramount importance to the Gabonese government. According to Gabon’s Minister of Water, Forests, the Sea and the Environment, Prof. Lee White, Gabon’s forest management strategy is based on science based and robust. The ministry is making strides to develop and lead the implementation of forest policies, to protect and restore forest ecosystems and preserve biodiversity in the country.

This ministerial department has also set an agenda to ensure sustainability in the production of forest resources, promote the industrialization and marketing of forest products, and develop policies on wildlife and protected areas. Similarly, other areas such as regional and international cooperation have not been left out. The ministry actively seeks to inform people and raise awareness about the exploitation of forest resources, wild life and protected areas.

The government of Gabon is also working to influence public opinion and foster smart forest development by empowering local and indigenous communities, and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. In addition, government policy in Gabon is also moving toward a climate-smart mode of agriculture in order to ensure food security for Gabon.

Most importantly, Gabon is investing to ensure its participation in the carbon market. According to Minister Lee White, Gabon is hoping to produce 187 million carbon credits that can be sold. These credits would be sold as carbon that Gabon has removed from the atmosphere.

At the sub-regional level, African governments have concurred that, regional collaboration and in-depth exchange remain a driver of global progress. African Climate Week was held in Gabon from August 29 to September 2, 2022, and serves as a platform for governments and other stakeholders to generate positive opinions and set agendas for a durable response to the challenges of climate change.

Gabon used the opportunity during African Climate Week to position itself as an African leader in environmental development and offered to assist other African countries working in the same direction.

The forum was also an avenue to empower stakeholders to drive climate action across countries, communities and economies. About 2,300 actors in the domain converged in Libreville to discuss engagement and action in the context of the Paris Agreement. Discussions during the Libreville convention centered on three main issues—resilience against climate risk, the transition to a low-emission economy and partnerships to solve pressing challenges.

Gabon-China on Green Development

The Republic of Gabon and the People’s Republic of China have both ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and thus are working with other nations to proffer solutions to current climate issues. Both countries are investing resources and intelligence to develop a holistic and systematic approach in the development and improvement of their climate response initiatives. The report of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China (Oct 2022) stated that China seeks to promote a green and low-carbon economy, intensify pollution prevention and control measures, accelerate the transition to a model of green development, enhance diversity, stability and sustainability in the ecosystem and work actively and prudently toward the goals of reaching peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality.

As a major emitter of CO2 as well as a leader in green technology, China is a unique partner for Gabon in green energy transition and sustainable low-carbon and carbon positive development of our countries and continents.

Gabon as the planet’s most carbon positive country would like to assess the possibility of linking our carbon credits to the Chinese carbon exchange. Perhaps we can introduce net carbon sequestration credits created through logging concessions operated by Chinese companies on the Chinese carbon exchange.

It is our firm belief that green economies are vital for sustainable development and low-carbon economies will benefit generations to come.