Forest Conservation, Likely Gains from Carbon Markets and Economic Growth in the Congo Basin Countries

Roger Tsafack Nanfosso () and Hilaire Nkengfack
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Roger Tsafack Nanfosso: University of Dschang, Department of Economic Analysis and Policy, Faculty of Economics and Management
Hilaire Nkengfack: University of Dschang, Department of Public Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management

A chapter in The Palgrave Handbook of Carbon Trading in Africa, 2026, pp 179-194 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The purpose of this chapter is to assess the leading role played by the countries of the Congo Basin in the conservation of the world’s forests. Their ability to sequester carbon, and thus combat climate change, should therefore be an additional factor in economic growth, particularly through the carbon market. The study shows that these countries absorb on average the equivalent of 1873 billion tons of carbon dioxide, for a potential revenue from the carbon market of 1246 billion US dollars, or around 5% of the GDP of all the countries in this sub-region. This performance falls far short of what the market is able to generate, bearing in mind that the Congo Basin is considered to be the second-largest forest massif in the world, after the Amazon. The African carbon market therefore faces major constraints that need to be overcome to unlock its potential to contribute to wealth creation.

Keywords: Forest conservation; Carbon market; Economic growth; Sustainable forest management; Congo Basin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q43 Q48 Q53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-00934-0_9

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-00934-0_9

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