The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has just officially launched the large-scale deployment of Payments for Environmental Services (PSE). During the ceremony organized on Thursday, April 3, the Minister of State for the Environment underlined that the success of this initiative will depend on the mobilization of domestic co-financing, in particular through the valorization of carbon sequestration and the operationalization of the carbon tax introduced in 2023.

“The DRC will implement this program as early as next year by focusing on major carbon emitters, who will be encouraged to contribute to the efforts to deploy this innovative strategy. Several policies and initiatives will be integrated as part of the deployment of PES. This includes the National Strategic Development Plan, the National REDD+ Framework Strategy, and the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor Presidential Initiative. These actions aim to directly benefit indigenous peoples and local communities, while promoting the sustainable management of natural resources,” said Eve Bazaiba, Minister of State, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development.

PES are designed to offer direct financial incentives to farmers and local people, rewarding their commitment to forest protection and restoration. Internationally, the DRC has already made significant commitments, such as the Nationally Determined Contribution and the 30×30 goal, which aims to protect 30% of land and water by 2030.

“Last January, the DRC organized an interministerial conference on the deployment of PES, with the support of partners such as CAFI and UNOPS. Above all, I would like to emphasize the importance of performance verification by the Government and international partners, in order to guarantee the integrity of this process,” she said.

Note that activities related to PES will include practices such as agroforestry, reforestation, and sustainable forest management throughout the country in the country. The launch of Payments for Environmental Services in the DRC represents a major advance towards more sustainable management of natural resources and increased involvement of local communities in the fight against deforestation. With rigorous implementation and strong stakeholder engagement, this initiative could transform the country's environmental landscape while supporting the livelihoods of local people.