Congo Basin Forests Hold Trillions in Untapped Value: New Report Calls for Strategic Global Investment This page in:English Français

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2025/10/20/congo-basin-forests-hold-trillions-in-untapped-value-new-report-calls-for-strategic-global-investment WASHINGTON, October 20, 2025 - The Congo Basin, home to the world's second-largest tropical rainforest, holds immense value for not only the six countries it spans, but for the planet. A new World Bank report reveals the region’s forests are not only essential for climate stability and biodiversity, but also a foundation for economic resilience. The value of forest ecosystem services nearly doubled in just two decades, rising from $590 billion in 2000 to $1.15 trillion in 2020. During the same period, the total forest asset value surged from $11.4 trillion to $23.2 trillion.