The SPCB Vision for the Congo Basin in 2050

Abstract The current ecological, socioeconomic, and governance status of the Congo Basin is profoundly influenced by its historical dynamics, including the significant impacts of colonialism, postcolonialism, structural adjustments, globalization, and the emergence of a multipolar world. These historical contexts, alongside national agendas and realities, must be considered when devising optimal management strategies for the Congo Basin. We suggest that despite significant progress since the Rio Conference in 1992, a business-as-usual model will not generate sufficient development opportunities for the Congo Basin’s young, growing population to facilitate sustained development, environmental governance, and to ensure peace and security. There is a need for improved governance, a postcolonial economic model based on transformation not simply extraction and which sustains ecosystems and the services they provide, rather than degrading and destroying them. Given its natural resources and human potential, the region can and must lead the world toward a sustainable development model that promotes environmental and social resilience.