Home / Environment / Gabon Secures $200M for Ecosystem Protection
Gabon Secures $200M for Ecosystem Protection
25 Mar
Summary
- Gabon aims to protect 30% of its ecosystems by 2030.
- A $200 million fund includes backing from the Bezos Earth Fund.
- Gabon is a vital carbon sink and biodiversity hotspot.
Gabon is launching a significant conservation effort, securing $200 million from entities including the Bezos Earth Fund. This funding is dedicated to protecting at least 30% of the country's terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems by the year 2030. The initiative is led by The Nature Conservancy, with contributions from organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and Pew Charitable Trusts.
As a key part of the Congo Basin, often called the Earth's second-largest green lung, Gabon harbors immense biodiversity, including a substantial portion of the world's remaining critically endangered forest elephants. The nation is recognized for being a net carbon sink, absorbing more atmospheric carbon dioxide than it emits. This effort builds on previous conservation successes, such as a $500 million debt-for-nature swap facilitated by The Nature Conservancy three years ago.
