Congo Basin Case Study Flashcards
(17 cards)
How big is the congo basin?
500 million acres
What % of the world’s remaining rainforest does it make up?
18%
How many ethnic groups live here?
150
What is the climate like?
2000mm/year ; 20-27 C
How are the Moabi tree and elephant interdependent?
Elephants use moabi as food source
Moabi use elephants for seed dispersal
How are the Congolese people and bonobo trees interdependent?
Reliant on bush meat (e.g. bonobos)
Use trees for traditional medicines
How is the congo basin valuable to humans?
Moabi tree alone makes over make
over 50 traditional drugs
80% of world’s supply of coltan
Tourists can kickstart local multiplier effects in economies
Provides freshwater, food and shelter for 75million people.
How is the congo basin valuable to the planet?
400 species of mammals
10,000 plant species
Key store of carbon - 20 gigatons of carbon stored in DRC
Why is deforestation a threat?
87% of logging is illegal
0.2% Rate of deforestation per year
190 critically endangered species
Why is mining a threat?
lots of conflict around resource extraction
80% of the world’s coltan supply in congo basin
Mining means areas are deforested
Why is poaching a threat?
2m tonnes of bushmeat per year are harvested
500 gorillas poached per year
To what extent is Virunga national park economically sustainable?
60,000 new jobs created
It costs a lot of money to run and employ 700 park rangers
To what extent is Virunga national socially sustainable?
Improved drinking water, health and education
VNP has management problems
To what extent is Virunga national environmentally sustainable?
Ranger force have improved surveillance to hugely decrease illegal logging and poaching
Cannot stop all poaching; in 2007 an illegal charcoal mafia murdered a family of mountain gorillas
To what extent is World Bank funding economically sustainable?
$40m funding for 120,000 people
Is money better spent on education or healthcare?
To what extent is World Bank funding socially sustainable?
Improved quality cooking stoves for people in Kinshasa means fewer health issues due to respiratory problems
Focus is on Kinshasa (urban) whereas 60% of the DRC lives in rural areas
To what extent is World Bank funding environmentally sustainable?
100,000 ha of land will be protected
Kerosene still produces harmful emissions
