In February 2023, scientists from across central Africa convened with their international partners in Gabon. They agreed to form two new dedicated initiatives that put the people, climate, forests, and biodiversity of the Congo Basin at the heart of their efforts.
Pursuing complementary objectives, they are based on shared values, work toward shared goals for the region, and coordinate closely.
This website serves as a guide post to their respective websites with additional information and resources.
The Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI) is an independent scientist-led platform that promotes long-term investment in science in the Congo Basin.
Our mission is to transform our understanding of the world’s second largest extent of tropical forest, build scientific capacity in the region, and use this knowledge to support sustainable development. CBSI will address research gaps that are identified by SPCB.
The Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB) is an independent scientific panel led by scientists from the region. Its main mission is to synthesize existing knowledge and identify research gaps on the status of, and threats to, the Congo Basin, its forests and related ecosystems.
The Panel will produce by the end of 2025 a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary assessment on the ecological status of the Congo Basin.