Can you name the three largest rainforests in the world? The average person may only be able to name the largest: The Amazon. The Congo and Mekong basins garner much less global attention than the Amazon, but they are just as important and worthy of protecting.
Rainforests act as carbon sinks, making these rainforests crucial to using nature as a climate solution. A recent report released by the Science Panel for the Congo Basin detailed that the Congo basin absorbs 600m tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. However, the number is decreasing due to deforestation.
“[The basin’s] significance extends far beyond its borders. The basin’s rainfall feeds main river systems across the continent, sustaining life as far away as the Sahel.”
We hope this coverage helps bring critical attention and funding to the Congo basin and other large, underfunded rainforests.
Posted: November 23, 2025