Congo Rainforest Threatened as DRC Auctions Off Oil and Gas Blocks

As of November 3rd, 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government has opened bids for oil and gas drilling across 124 hectares, which is more than half of the country's landmass. This move has raised serious concerns among environmentalists that the Congo Rainforest, the world's largest rainforest carbon sink, could be under threat of destruction.

The Congo Rainforest currently absorbs around 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2 annually, similar to the annual emissions of Russia. However, the DRC's plans to auction off 52 "oil blocks" across 64% of the country's intact tropical forest, including 72% of the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor, a plan to create the largest protected tropical forest area in the world, have sparked fears that this vital carbon sink could be lost.

Experts warn that the development of these oil and gas resources in the heart of the Congo Basin would have severe consequences far beyond the DRC's borders. The Cuvette Centrale, the world's largest tropical peatland complex storing an estimated 30 gigatons of carbon, is also at serious risk of degradation. Additionally, an estimated 39 million people live within the new oil blocks, raising concerns about the impact on local communities.

While the DRC government sees the potential 5-22 billion barrels of oil as a significant economic opportunity, the challenges of operating in the country's difficult environment and the reputational damage to companies could deter major oil firms from investing. However, the current political and economic dynamics, including a more supportive US administration and the DRC's push for investment, suggest that oil drilling in the Congo Rainforest may become a reality in the near future.