Gabon is one of the most forested countries in the world; covering 23.6 million hectares, Gabon's forests represent about 18% of the whole Congo Basin forest. For decades Gabon’s economy has been driven by exports of oil resources, but the country is gradually pursuing a low-carbon development strategy that aims to optimize economic development while preserving ecosystems and biodiversity.
Compared to the world, Gabon’s annual deforestation rate is low (0 to 0.05% between 2010 and 2015) and stable (click here for deforestation and degradation extent and trends in Gabon), making Gabon one of the few remaining High Forest, Low Deforestation (HFLD) country on this planet. This low rate is due to a combination of socio-economic circumstances and deliberate political action: small population density, high urban population (almost 90%) and reliance on food imports rather than on local agriculture ; combined with strong forest protection policies such as a network of 13 protected areas and increasing sustainable management practices in the forestry and timber sector.
Consequently, the - limited- emissions from the land use sector are mainly due not to deforestation but to forest degradation. In addition to sub-optimal harvesting practices, illegality in the forest sector is estimated to have been responsible for 10 to 15 million tons of CO2 emissions. The Government of Gabon has committed to combating illegal logging and reducing forest degradation, including through setting a goal for all forest concessions to be certified by 2022.
Partnership at a Glance
Gabon forests absorb 140 million tons of CO2 every year, and emit about 30 millions.
They also house pristine wildlife and megafauna. The emblematic forest elephants, considered the architects of the forest, are critically endangered in Central Africa. Yet 50,000 of them, or 60% of their remaining population, live in Gabon.
dollars committed in investments and results-based payments
of the country covered by forests - or 23.6 million hectares
dollars in approved projects
projects funded by CAFI
secteurs stratégiques appuyés
villages mapped in a participatory manner for land-use planning
Joint Commitments
Gabon has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from forests by 50% by 2025 compared to a 2005 baseline level in its INDC under the Paris Agreement and subsequently in its first Letter of Intent signed with CAFI in 2017, in which Gabon committed to the non-conversion of high value forest and limited and carbon neutral conversion of non-high-value forests. Based on the first National Investment Framework presented to CAFI, the Letter of Intent delineated specific objectives on land-use planning, forest monitoring and forest governance, and was backed by a 18 million programme. Two additional programmes on certification and protected areas and food crops, worth 12 millions, were approved in 2019.
A historic results-based payment agreement worth 150 million US $ was signed in 2019 as an addendum to the Letter of Intent, making Gabon the first high forest cover and low deforestation (HFLD) country in Africa to be able to claim payments for emission reductions and removals.
Gabon has since progressed in fulfilling international requirements to receive results-based payments for its efforts on forest preservation:
- A second National Investment Framework that lays out priorities for new programmes financed by results-based payments was approved by the CAFI Executive Board in March 2021. Its goal is to meet Gabon's commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by implementing national scale 'Natural Climate Solutions' that decrease carbon emissions through investments into community forestry, scientific research, forest management practices, protected areas system and government capacity.
- Gabon submitted its emission reductions report. After an independent verification, this allowed a first payment of 17 million US$ under the historic results-based agreement signed between CAFI and Gabon in 2019.
Investment Graph
Our programmes
Latest updates
Documents
Rapport de vérification indépendante des jalons de la LoI - TEREA (2022 02 24)
Rapport de vérification indépendante des jalons de la LoI - TEREA (2022 02 24), 7 Dec 2022
7 Dec 2022
List of all CAFI EB decisions for Gabon
List of all CAFI EB decisions for Gabon, 13 Jul 2022
13 Jul 2022
Gabon National Investment Framework 2020
Gabon National Investment Framework 2020, 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021
Letter of Intent between Gabon and CAFI
Letter of Intent between Gabon and CAFI, 27 Jun 2017
27 Jun 2017
Gabon National Investment Framework 2017 (in French)
Gabon National Investment Framework 2017 (in French), 20 Jun 2017
20 Jun 2017
Addendum to the Letter of Intent between Gabon and CAFI (Results-Based payments)
Addendum to the Letter of Intent between Gabon and CAFI (Results-Based payments), 19 May 2022
19 May 2022