The equatorial rainforest of Central Africa between economic needs and sustainability requirements

Abstract

This article sets out to investigate the role played by the rainforest of Central Africa in providing environmental goods and services, regulating and stabilizing the global climate as well as participating in socio-economic development of the riparian countries. This complex role offers a double status, almost confrontational, to this rainforest: it stands as an economic resource and as a major global climate regulator. Hence, there is an urgent need to question certain aspects such as climate trends in this strategic region and the use of local forest resources for economic purpose in order to suggest ecological attitudes to be adopted by policymakers, stakeholders, forest professionals and users for a sustainable development. It is shown that: 1) this rainforest constitutes an economic resource and plays a major socio-cultural role in addition to its global climate regulatory role, 2) an overexploitation of the forest resources for economic purposes exposes the forest to an increased deterioration which can change the ecological and socio-economic balance, or destroy this forest, and by so doing, alter its global climate control power, 3) the climate of the region is experiencing serious variability. Thus, solutions that can satisfy socio-economic needs and give room for sustainable development are proposed.