Challenges and Issues in the Fight Against Climate Change in the DRC

In several provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where resources are scarce and limited, the issue of climate change-in its various manifestations-poses threats to the conditions necessary for the development and well-being of populations whose survival depends on natural resources, including forests. In the context of decentralization, certain policies within the process of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation-as part of the response to climate change-present an opportunity for the provinces. Drawing on the most widely held views on climate change at the local level, reviewing specific initiatives related to the dynamics of decentralizing the REDD+ process, and the identification of avenues for its implementation and local ownership, these theses present several REDD+ policies that offer opportunities for sustainable development in the provinces and suggest ways in which the Democratic Republic of the Congo can become an environmental powerhouse at the heart of Africa.