Carbon, biodiversity and land-use in the Central Congo Basin Peatlands

In January 2017, scientists announced new discoveries showing that the Central Congo Basin Peatlands form the largest area of peat swamp forest in the tropics. Estimates of soil organic carbon stocks in the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo have radically increased as a result, to some 30 Gt. Degradation of these peat carbon stocks could have serious impacts on climate.