Roads to Ruin: the emerging impacts of infrastructure development in Congo Basin forests

A report by RFUK reveals the growing extent, and impact, of transport and energy infrastructure development in the Congo Basin – which is on its way to becoming a major driver of deforestation in the world’s second largest rainforest. The eight case studies featured in this report show that, while certain projects may bring some economic benefits, environmental and social impacts have been overwhelmingly higher than necessary due to bad planning, corruption, failure to follow better practice, and simple negligence. This study has also found that development projects often overlap internationally-funded forest protection schemes, and several are already causing serious long-term environmental and social impacts.