Author(s) :

Raphael Muamba Tshimanga, Kalulu Taba, Pius Tshimankinda Mpiana, Jean-Jacques Tanfum Muyembe.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces significant disparities in the generation, management, security, and effective use of its environmental data. National observation networks remain insufficient or degraded, environmental data are fragmented across multiple institutions and projects, standards are insufficiently harmonised, and a substantial share of information collected within the national territory continues to be hosted or processed abroad. Mechanisms to ensure the systematic deposit of such data in national infrastructures, their accessibility, and their scientific and economic valorisation by Congolese institutions and researchers also remain inadequate. This situation perpetuates scientific and technological dependence, constrains national capacity for knowledge production, and undermines the country’s sovereignty over strategic information. It also limits the DRC’s ability to effectively plan investments, negotiate within international climate and biodiversity frameworks, and fully benefit from its natural capital. Against a backdrop of accelerating climate change, expanding carbon markets, and increasing investments in the mining, energy, forestry, water, biodiversity and infrastructure sectors, structural reform has become imperative. The development of a National Policy for the Management and Security of Environmental Data (PNGSDE) would establish environmental data as a strategic national infrastructure and provide a framework for their production, centralisation, security, accessibility, and valorisation. Such a policy would strengthen the DRC’s scientific and information sovereignty while positioning environmental data as a key driver of effective governance, scientific innovation, climate resilience, and sustainable development

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