Environmental groups are calling for the revocation of an oil exploration permit granted to a Chinese company in Congo-Brazzaville.
The permit, awarded to China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) earlier this year, overlaps significantly with Conkouati-Douli National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Earth Insight, a US-based environmental organization, warns that oil exploration in the park would be catastrophic for the environment, local communities, and governance.
Conkouati-Douli National Park, located in the Congo Basin rainforest, shelters endangered species such as western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, and forest elephants.
It also sustains thousands of villagers who rely on the forest for their livelihoods.
“New data reveals the permit significantly threatens the park’s tropical forests, endangered wildlife, and indigenous communities who have resided there for centuries,” Earth Insight stated.
Congolese civil society organizations recently joined the chorus of opposition.
They argue that the permit contradicts Congo’s international commitments on conservation and protected areas.
Moreover, they, along with Greenpeace, have urged European nations, particularly France, to halt conservation funding in the park until the permit is withdrawn.
Conkouati-Douli National Park, bordering Gabon, encompasses over 5,000 square kilometers of diverse ecosystems, including coastal, marine, and forest habitats.
The Congo Basin itself covers a vast 220 million hectares across Central Africa.
The Congolese government has remained silent on these calls for the permit’s cancellation, despite requests for comment from international media.
