The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Friday, June 29, that it would allow oil exploration in two protected national parks. The Virunga National Park and Salonga National Park, both Unesco World Heritage Sites, will be affected.
In a statement, the DRC Cabinet said it had approved the establishment of a commission charged with preparing plans to declassify parts of the parks to allow for oil exploration. The statement added that the Cabinet was mindful of the protected status of the areas’ habitats and related species but defended the government’s right to authorise drilling.
Both Virunga and Salonga are home to a number of endangered and vulnerable species, including Mountain gorilla, Bonobo monkeys, Forest elephants, Dwarf chimpanzees and Congo peacocks. Salonga is also the world’s second-largest rainforest. The proposed exploration in Virunga National Park would see 1719 square kilometres, which amounts to one-fifth of the park’s land, affected.
The news was met with strong opposition from environmentalists, who are concerned over the damage to habitat, and therefore species numbers. Additionally, there is concern over the release of carbon dioxide from the drilling, which will contribute to global climate change.
This latest development is another in a string of bad news for Virunga, which has been closed to tourists for the rest of the year following the kidnapping of two tourists and the death of a ranger.
