New data from the Forest Declaration Assessment shows the Congo Basin is losing trees faster even as deforestation slows across other tropical regions. In 2025, tree loss in central Africa nearly matched the combined total for Latin America and the Caribbean, a first since the assessment began in 2015. Bloomberg reports the trend puts new pressure on one of the world's largest tropical carbon sinks. Because the Congo Basin stores large amounts of carbon, accelerated clearing has direct consequences for climate goals and for carbon markets that rely on forest protection. The shift also raises questions about where conservation finance and REDD+ projects should focus next. For anyone tracking emissions from land use, this is a regional trend worth watching closely.
